Why do we do what we do?t

As I stood at the washing machine scraping gum off my daughters soccer cleats I began to wonder...
I wonder how many moms have the opportunity to scrape gum off of their daughters soccer cleat?
Why do people throw their gum onto the ground instead of taking the few extra steps to toss it into the trash so that moms don't have to scrape it off of their daughters soccer cleat?

Well I honestly cannot answer either question, but prevention is probably the key to this whole ordeal.

This is how I see prevention of a mom having to scrape gum off of their daughters soccer cleat.

In expectation of adults being responsible, I'm going to assume that the person who was irresponsible was a child...

Parent teaches child that when they are finished with their gum, they throw it in the trash.
Child is playing and decides they are tired of their gum.  Instead of having to take the 10 or so extra steps to the trash can, child tosses their chewed sticky gum towards the trash can and takes off to play again not paying attention to where the gum landed.
The gum lands mere inches from the trash can.  Then someone who is being responsible walks to the trash can, throws away their trash then finds themselves scraping gum off of their shoe.

Why didn't the child take the few extra steps to drop their gum into the trash can?  This would have prevented someone having to scrape gum off of their shoe?

Why do we do what we do?  Why don't we take that extra step?  It may not benefit us at the time, but it will benefit others.

Just my haphazardly random thoughts for the day.