Etiquette Question: Baseball games/Movie theaters

[amsunshine]

I'm curious to know what hivers generally think about trash at venues such as baseball games and movie theaters or the like.

 

Yesterday we took dc to a baseball game with a large group of friends. At one point during the game, a couple of the men were eating peanuts and throwing their shells on the ground in front of them. We were also using a couple of paper bags as makeshift trash bags, where we were depositing our other trash. DD asked one of the gentlemen why he was throwing the peanut shells on the ground, to which he responded, "Because that's what you do at a baseball game. They hire people to clean up after you." These people also left their cups and other trash right by the seats when they left, apparently for the same reason. My dc were wondering why we took our trash and threw it away in the trash bins when we left if "there are people who are supposed to clean up after us."

 

I had no problems explaining to my dc that our family does things a little differently. However, I just wonder what the hive position is on this. I've always thought it good etiquette to clean up after one's self in a place like a movie theater or a baseball game. But I've run into many who disagree.

 

What say you, hivers?

[MamaT]

We always clean up after ourselves at baseball games, movie theaters, parks, etc. My dh even insists we pick up extra trash other people have left in parks. We try to leave parks, camp sites we stay at, and other outdoor areas cleaner than we found them.

 

I think it is very rude to leave your trash for others to pick up. JMO.

[4kids4me]

I'll bite. It's kind of funny that you're curious about the etiquette of cleaning up after oneself at a ball game or movie theatre, but do not see it as poor etiquette that your dd questioned a complete stranger, an adult, about a personal choice!

 

Here in Canada the same rule applies as what the gentleman stated. I've been going to ball games and movies for over 30 years and that's what I've noticed. Sometimes I throw out my trash, sometimes I don't. People are hired to clean up so if I don't clean up everything, I don't worry about it.

[teachermom2834]

but I do sometimes leave the trash behind at ball games and movies. If I've got the free hands and a garbage can is nearby I'll take my own. However, if it is inconvenient (sometimes a garbage can isn't even nearby at a stadium) and I've generally got hands full of kids I will leave my garbage pushed back under my seat where other people won't trip on it. I wouldn't leave a drink that could spill. My dh and kids do throw peanut shells on the ground. I do think that is pretty much a generally accepted stadium behavior. I don't think the stadium management expects people to bring their own garbage bags for shells.

 

I'm talking about professional stadiums. I would never leave my garbage like that at a public little league field or school gym or allow my kids to throw peanut shells around. There I figure parents/ volunteers have to clean up or it would just be litter and I just wouldn't do it.

 

I'm sure others would disagree but we spend alot of time in these venues and I think it is okay within reason. I promise we are generally courteous and that my kids don't think it's okay to litter. They also clean up after themselves at the home dinner table or fast food restaurant.

 

Marie

[Pajama Mama]

We clean up after ourselves too. But we can only be responsible for ourselves, right? I took four 12 yo boys to see HP on opening day. I made sure that *they* threw away *their* trash. But I could see lots of seats with cups and trash left there. I'm sure the boys dropped popcorn on the floor of the theater. That's what people are paid for not picking up your used cups and such. But I can't tell others what to do as much as I want to.

[4kids4me]

Hands down campsites, the park, etc, we always clean up every single bit because there's no one there to pick up after us and we need to leave it nice for everyone else. But not necessarily in theatres or professional athletic facilities (I'm thinking ball game, hockey, basketball, football). It's common knowledge that people are specifically hired to clean up after those events, so I don't worry about it as much.

[lionfamily1999]

I agree with the pp that said campsites and things you clean up, but ball games and things are up in the air.

 

IOW, I take our trash out, but I'm not cleaning up the floor. If we have a drink or food spill, I might "rake" it to the side with my foot, but I'm not picking it up. Cups and things, yes, but there are people that are paid to clean it up and while I don't make an effort to make a huge mess, I don't go too far to clean it up either.

 

BTW, peanut shells are different. I've been in restaraunts where that's what you do (throw them on the ground) and I must admit to enjoying the outright sillyness of letting the kids make that sort of a biodegradable mess all around their feet. The same with sunflower seeds.

[amsunshine]

I'll bite. It's kind of funny that you're curious about the etiquette of cleaning up after oneself at a ball game or movie theatre, but do not see it as poor etiquette that your dd questioned a complete stranger, an adult, about a personal choice!

 

This wasn't a complete stranger -- these were friends, as I indicated we had gone out in a group. And actually, my dd7 was just honestly curious -- she wasn't confronting anyone about a personal choice. She had no idea.

[lgm]

We clean up after ourselves in professional venues. I always figured that if no one cleaned up, then more people would have to be hired to clean up after them, which means the ticket prices will go even higher. The wait between shows will also be longer, unless the event providers can find a lot of help to pick up quickly. Then there are ;) the personal plusses: no wading through trash. No wasps buzzing soda cups in our vicinity. Less sticky floors. Clean shoes.

[4kids4me]

Even so, if my child asked my adult friend such a thing, it would be viewed by me as rude. That's a question for a parent. What it does is put oneself above another because they do something "better" than someone else. Even if it's not spoken, it certainly is implied.

 

But hey, all the better that you clean up completely after a ball game...I'm sure the cleaners certainly appreciate you!

[momofkhm]

I would probably drop my peanut shells as well. But the rest - cups, papers, napkins - I'd take to the trash can. This is pro games.

 

I take it all in the movie theater. I know there are cans on the way out of those.

 

Now at a kids' soccer game - I leave on the ground what is biodegradable and small. For instance, I don't worry about the vines grapes are on (small), but I would pack up orange peels. I wouldn't leave anything paper-ish. But at basketball (inside) I leave nothing.

[amsunshine]

Even so, if my child asked my adult friend such a thing, it would be viewed by me as rude. That's a question for a parent. What it does is put oneself above another because they do something "better" than someone else. Even if it's not spoken, it certainly is implied.

 

I completely agree with you that this would have been rude had my dd had any inkling of an intention to place herself above someone else, or point out someone else's fault. I would definitely have advised her this was rude. However, my assessment of the situation was that she was purely curious as she had never seen this behavior before -- in the same way she was curious about all aspects of the baseball game, i.e., "Why do they want us to say, "Charge!", etc."

[amsunshine]

Just to clarify -- this was a professional baseball game, not a little league game.:) Thanks for your responses -- there seems to be a wide range of opinions!

[Tammy]

that people find it ok to throw trash on the ground (just because someone is SUPPOSED to pick it up). Why do they have trash cans out there then?

 

If they wanted you to throw the trash on the ground....they wouldn't have put trash cans out there.

[kokotg]

I used to work at a movie theater, so I absolutely always make sure to clean up after myself. I think they make it pretty clear that you're supposed to by putting trash cans right next to the exit and usually playing a little film telling you to not smoke, turn off cell phones, throw away trash, etc. I'm pretty sensitive about not making extra work for people who get paid next to nothing (or for anyone, really). The theater I worked at was in Athens, GA, and the UGA football team used to come to movies and leave dozens of spit cups full of nasty tobacco juice all over the place. Still grosses me out to think about it over a decade later.

[David]

Even at professional sports venues, we pick up all the cups, napkins, and other trash. But, it's fairly hard to eat peanuts at a baseball game without making a mess -- so I make a mess. It's either that, or they wouldn't get my $5 for 20 cents worth of peanuts.

 

We spend much more time at youth soccer fields, where we pick up EVERYTHING that's ours and many times that which isn't. In addition -- call me rude if you will -- I tell my son, his teammates, and occasionally other parents, to pick up their water bottles, etc., and to pick up other's trash as well, including the black electricians' tape littering all youth soccer fields.

 

PS: Don't mind me; I'm just trying to get 50 posts so I can give away some books on the For Sale board.

[Linda1951]

want to trip on it.:)

[BabyBre]

DD asked one of the gentlemen why he was throwing the peanut shells on the ground, to which he responded, "Because that's what you do at a baseball game.

 

 

That's so funny you post this because we went to a ballgame this summer and my own dh began doing the same thing and telling the kids to do it too! I asked him what the heck was up and he responded the same way. Apparantly it's a baseball tradition to litter the stands with peanut shells. :001_huh:

 

We did NOT, however, leave the rest of our trash laying around for others to pick up.

[Ellie]

It's more than just good etiquette. It's responsible personhood, for goodness' sake. Clean up after yourself, people!

[gardening momma]

I think the peanut shells is an acceptable practice, as it is in some restaurants. But I think the people who are paid to pick up trash are hired because people leave their trash out--not because it's ok to leave trash out. I agree that the more trash that is left out, the more people have to be hired to clean it up, and prices go up.

[nukeswife]

I agree with quite a few here that say the Peanut shells thing was ok, the other trash not ok. One of our favorite restaurants is Texas Roadhouse and although they do leave an empty bucket on each table to put shells in, we've actually had the waiter come up to us when we did that and say "What are y'all doing, those go on the floor" and proceded to dump the bucket out on the floor. So now, to the floor they go. When it comes to napkins, cups, boxes etc, then yes I pick it all up. Am I going to crawl around in the theater picking up the popcorn kernals my 4 year old may have dropped, no, but if he were to spill the whole bucket I'd go ask an attendant for a broom and dustpan instead of just leaving it.

[SquirrellyMama]

I work basketball games, volleyball, concerts, etc... as an usher. We find peanut shells all the time. When they buy the peanuts they aren't given a container to put the shells in so there isn't anywhere else for them to go.

 

I do appreciate it when people pick up their cups, napkins and plates.

 

Kelly

[tex-mex]

I'll bite. It's kind of funny that you're curious about the etiquette of cleaning up after oneself at a ball game or movie theatre, but do not see it as poor etiquette that your dd questioned a complete stranger, an adult, about a personal choice!

 

Here in Canada the same rule applies as what the gentleman stated. I've been going to ball games and movies for over 30 years and that's what I've noticed. Sometimes I throw out my trash, sometimes I don't. People are hired to clean up so if I don't clean up everything, I don't worry about it.

 

We used to have season tickets for ballgames... never trashed the area we sat in... but it was nice (when my son was a toddler and youngster) not to have to get up and down to throw trash out and enjoy the game.

 

Hubby at one time was a school custodian -- he could give you stories of how kids never finish their lunches, toss them, and trash the bathrooms. He instructs us to pick up or be courteous to the workers whom no one thinks about. But we try to leave where we sat at a ballgame tidy. However, there are times we didn't. I say don't make a big deal out of it and let your child figure out as he grows up. Otherwise, you do come across as being legalistic and uptight.

Edited August 3, 2009 by tex-mex

[skaterbabs]

nut shells don't bother me, I don't consider it "trash" so much as squirrel feed. ;) But chip wrappers and empty soda bottles? grrrr :glare:

 

I make my kids help pick up trash after games.

[PiCO]

It's common knowledge that people are specifically hired to clean up after those events, so I don't worry about it as much.

 

But if people cleaned up after themselves, the stadium wouldn't have to hire as many people to clean up and maybe the tickets would cost less.

[Luanne]

It's more than just good etiquette. It's responsible personhood, for goodness' sake. Clean up after yourself, people!

 

:iagree:

[Mommyof4ks]

We clean up our messes when we go out. The peanuts shells though are commonly thrown on the ground, so I would probably let that go at a stadium. My kids love to go to restaurants that allow that, and we let them there though I cannot personally bring myself to do it.

[Spy Car]

Ticket prices for ball-games go up because we're paying Manny Ramirez 25 million dollars to play this year. One year! 45 million for two. And not because they pay a clean up crew (minimum wage) to clean up peanuts shells from a bag that's earned the club, what a thousand percent profit?

 

Scattering overpriced peanut shells at a ball-game is an American tradition.

 

I'm pretty much at an extreme end in picking up after myself (and others) in most situations, but at a game? No way. The proper etiquette at a professional ball-game is to drop those shells at ones feet. And to not feel the least bit guilty that you're creating work (and paying for it) and a job for a fellow city-dweller.

 

Have a beer, a dog, watch the game, and drop the shells with a clear conscious.

 

Bill

[tex-mex]

Ticket prices for ball-games go up because we're paying Manny Ramirez 25 million dollars to play this year. One year! 45 million for two. And not because they pay a clean up crew (minimum wage) to clean up peanuts shells from a bag that's earned the club, what a thousand percent profit?

 

Scattering overpriced peanut shells at a ball-game is an American tradition.

 

I'm pretty much at an extreme end in picking up after myself (and others) in most situations, but at a game? No way. The proper etiquette at a professional ball-game is to drop those shells at ones feet. And to not feel the least bit guilty that you're creating work (and paying for it) and a job for a fellow city-dweller.

 

Have a beer, a dog, watch the game, and drop the shells with a clear conscious.

 

Bill

 

Nicely said... my hubby heard of this thread and due to his being a former custodian, said, "Most likely the crew cleaning the stadium use a lawn blower to get it in a pile. Then they sweep it up." And yes, ticket prices go to players and owners. Yeesh.