young men.

The plea comes after 16 to 35-year-old males were revealed as Bermuda's worst litterbugs.

According to a survey they make up 44 percent of offenders.

And it is recommended Government should hit them with such slogans as "litter is not cool''.

Statistics also show women are more environmentally aware than men.

As many as 62 percent of those caught littering by Government watchdogs were male.

Sporting events and such crowd-pullers as the Agricultural Exhibition are litter blackspots.

But overall the study showed Bermuda is winning its anti-litter war.

The amount of trash found on roads, beaches and trails has gone down encouragingly by 18 percent over the last two years.

And there has been an annual 6.5 percent cut in general littering since 1991.

Yesterday Works & Engineering Minister the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto applauded the reduction.

"I welcome everything possible that can be done to decrease litter.'' She added: "Residents have to understand litter is caused by all of us. We have got to make our best efforts to decrease litter.

"People have to be very, very careful about what they use and throw out. I think everybody should do a reality check on their garbage.'' Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto said garbage was a "people problem'' -- not a Government one.

Findings of the April survey were disclosed by the Works & Engineering Ministry yesterday.

The survey was conducted by the Ministry. Director of the Institute for Applied Research in California Mr. Daniel Syrek also helped.

Mr. Syrek's services were provided by Keep Bermuda Beautiful (KBB), with funding from the Businesses for a Beautiful Bermuda group (BBB).

Some 100 sites were randomly chosen for counting and classifying the litter.

Sites were across the Island -- on primary and secondary roads, and industrial, commercial, recreational and residential areas.

The last such survey was carried out in 1991. The survey makes a distinction between "deliberate'' litter and "accidental'' trash -- such as that dropping from the end of a truck.

And it also distinguishes between "accumulated litter'' -- that built up over time -- and freshly discarded garbage.

The amount of accumulated and deliberate litter was 68.8 percent, down from the 1991 figure of 71.2 percent.

Latest findings show the main sources of such litter are the same, with drinks topping the list.

They made up 33.3 percent of this category.

Notably, the percentage of beer bottles -- the most frequently discarded item -- has slumped from 17.3 to 10.2.

But the amount of juice bottles and cans, while still small, more than doubled.

This probably reflected the increased popularity of juices, Government officials claim.

Take-out food and snacks follow drink -- making up 19.6, and 15.9 percent respectively of the accumulated and deliberate litter.

Accidental litter made up 31.4 percent of the amount of accumulated garbage.

Plastic tops the list of accidental litter, followed by paper, food packaging, and toiletries.

The most litter-strewn areas of Bermuda are secondary roads.

Government watchdogs also recorded 32 litter incidents.

Following the 19 to 35-year-olds as worst offenders were those aged 36-55, who comprised 31 percent.

Next were the 13 to 18-year-olds (16 percent), and the under 12s (three percent).

The survey calls for the KBB's advertising strategy to be reviewed.

Successful advertising in Texas and Oklahoma -- aimed at changing behaviour of litterbugs -- should be followed, it is claimed.

The survey says: "Such a campaign would target primarily males in the 16 to 35 year age group with messages that convey the idea that littering is not `cool'.'' Other recommendations include: Works & Engineering continuing to ensure adequate funding for advertising, and other anti-litter plans. A member of Government's waste management staff to serve on the KBB executive committee.

KBB and Government to work together on checking the progress of litter control efforts.

KBB to carry litter survey updates every two years.

Allowing Police to issue tickets for littering, thus simplifying the prosecution of an offence.

Investigate a system of deposits for some household items.

Wider distribution of concrete litter and recycling bins.