Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Lesson 559. The title of today's lesson is the difference
between trash, garbage, rubbish and litter. Okay. If somebody wants a screenshot , do it right now.
Let's get right to it. There's definitely a lot of crossover between these too. There's
a lot of times where you know, one is the same as the other. But this video
is to try to distinguish how you think of one and know it more clearly. When you're more likely to
use one than the other. So let's get into it. Garbage is waste material such as used paper,
empty containers and food. It is more often used with the disposal of scraps
or bad food. So if we're using that we're probably a little more likely to say garbage than trash.
Garbage is most often associated with bad or smelly waste and is more likely to have bacteria
on it. The word garbage is mostly American and the British would usually use the word rubbish
in the same sense. Okay. Let's continue. Trash is also things that are thrown away
such as paper, plastic bags, used by the owner etc. or simply things that the owner considers
to be junk. You know, just things that he doesn't think have much value or much use.
Some trash may be a matter of opinion. Obviously the person who calls it trash
thinks it is useless or worthless. However some trash could still be useful to others. Okay.
Garbage is usually too spoiled or ruined to be useful for anyone. So here's kind of where you can
start to see a clear difference, especially between trash and garbage because these two
are actually the closest. The British also used the term rubbish for trash. So the British used
rubbish for both of these. So they may not be any difference there. But in the US there is.
It may be helpful to remember the proverb "One man's trash is another man's treasure. " We
don't hear people say one man's garbage is another man's treasure because garbage is like
nobody has any use for this. This is really this is just junk. Nobody wants this. But sometimes
something that could be trash for one person, especially if it's stuff that is not too dirty
or doesn't have bacteria on it it's not smelly or something like that maybe some other people may
have a use for it. Maybe they could use it. Maybe they could fix it up. Maybe they could resell it.
Maybe they could take it apart and use parts of it. It's still trash to that person,
but for the other person they could use it. All right. Let's continue. All right. ... Yeah.
When used as the meaning of a receptacle bin. All right. So this is where you know,
you could see where people get confused. You know, so when when it's like a garbage bin or
a trash bin a garbage can or a trash can that's what we mean by that. There is no difference.
So if you tell somebody throw it in the trash throw it in the garbage.
It's the same thing. Take out the garbage. Take out the trash.
Yeah. That's there's no difference there. They are the same in that sense.
All right. Let's continue. Litter is the easiest to distinguish. Because it is trash disposed
of in public places. So it has to be in public places. So in your home, you don't call it litter.
It's only litter when it's outside. You know, among where other people are,
especially in streets or public places like parks or things like that. All right. Let's continue.
So in public places, especially just dropped on the ground or left somewhere. You know, you just
leave your garbage somewhere. In this case, you probably really should carry it until you find
a garbage can or trash can or some sort of receptacle to put it away properly. In that case,
we think that it is litter or if you know, people accidentally just drop it. You know or maybe not
accidentally but they pretend it's accidentally because they're just too lazy to bring it to you
know the proper place. Then in that sense , we refer to it as litter. All right. Let's continue.
Typically crumbled up paper, used bags containers, cigarette butts. Yeah, especially cigarette butts
most people that smoke cigarettes they don't wait until they find a trash can. They'll just throw it
on the ground. Step on it. Leave it for somebody else to clean up. That's definitely litter. I
mean is it trash ? Is it garbage ? I mean all litter is trash and garbage too. It's just that
it's only trash and garbage in public places. All right. Let's continue. We got four examples
that were chosen. Just so you can kind of clearly see you know, where we're more likely to use one
than the other. So we always put the garbage in cans outdoors because it will smell up the house.
So yeah, especially like I said with bad food and things like that. She called the Sanitation
Department to pick up her large trash , such as old chairs , furniture etc. Yeah. The regular
garbage men don't usually take big trash like that. You have to have a ...maybe they come around
once a week or once a month where you put it out and they will they'll make a special you know
appointment to pick up stuff like that or special time anyway. All right. Number three. Don't leave
your litter in the park. Clean up after yourself. So of course this would be in a public place. And
number four. Here this is to just show you again where there is clearly crossover. You know, with
the with the garbage can or take out the garbage. Take out the trash. Put it in the garbage. Put it,
put it in the trash. This is the same thing. British say rubbish or rubbish bin. They say
a rubbish bin, usually. So anyway, I hope you. I hope you got a better feel now of when you're more
likely a more proper to use one than the other or or the difference in the feel of the words. Okay.
I hope you got it. I hope it was clear. I hope it was useful. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.