Jennifer Potthoff IW-Policy Paper No. 10 22. November 2023 Green Nudging – a key against littering?
The demand for cleanliness in cities is increasing: "Littering" - the illegal littering of public spaces - does not only cause costs for the environment and society, but also has significant financial consequences through increased cleaning costs.
The demand for cleanliness in cities is increasing: "Littering" - the illegal littering of public spaces - does not only cause costs for the environment and society, but also has significant financial consequences through increased cleaning costs.
Much of the littering consists of "to-go" packaging, plastic bottles, and cigarette butts. Currently, the problem is predominantly addressed with laws, fines, and education campaigns. Politicians and the media are also putting the appearance of cities on the agenda, but classic instruments such as controls by municipal law enforcement officers and harsh sanctions against "litterers" are reaching their limits in solving the problem. In addition to classic environmental policy instruments, the tools of behavioral economics can make a complementary contribution in solving the problem: by influencing people's daily habits, green nudges can encourage people to reduce littering, thereby improving urban cleanliness.
Barbara Engels / Jennifer Potthoff IW-Policy Paper No. 12 6. November 2025
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German Economic Institute (IW) 
