What would it take – both practically and socially – to get Seattle to give a shit about litter?

I moved here 15 years ago and the most unexpected “culture shock” between Seattle’s reputation vs reality is that no one really seems to care about litter. I know we’ll probably never clean up areas along highways or in the industrial parts of town, but Capitol Hill is covered in garbage and I cannot understand why. I’ve seen people in West Seattle (where I live) just open their car doors and kick piles of garbage out into the gutter. I pick up what I can around my place, and it makes a difference but I have like 1/100th the number of people around me here compared to Cap Hill. I periodically see a lone person walking Cal Anderson park with grabbers and bucket, but there’s no way those individuals can counter the stratified filth. What’s the point of fountains or reflecting pools if there’s more garbage in them than birds?

I just don’t understand the mentality. If I finish an ice cream cone, that wrapper will live in my back pocket for HOURS until I find a garbage can (usually when I get home), what is the deal with others?