h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

6th February 2005

Yesterday, I spent the morning on a Litter Pick. Except it was rather more than litter WHY oh, why do people think that because a lane has no traffic through it they can drop their rubbish, or worse, dump their rubbish at will

While helping clear two lorry loads of rubbish (don't ask!) we tried to remove five plastic dustbin bags full of rubbish which had become embedded in the soil, only to find two families of frogs, with dozens of froglets, in residence.

As they were obviously cosy and thriving we put the bags back to be cleared later in the year when the frogs depart. Strange how some wildlife adapts to gain advantage from human waste!

However, many others suffer dreadfully from rubber bands, taken as worms by the birds , the plastic bands round drink cans which strangle small mammals. Yoghurt pots, cans and bottles etc. which offer enticing tasty morsels, trapping them inside etc.

Hadn't got a hedgehog smiley, but they suffer dreadfully. Not to mention that plastic, metal and glass does not break down and in the case of the first two, they poison the soil. Glass can cause fires in hot dry weather too. In addition this is close to and alongside a river and the rubbish causes blockages and subsequent flooding.

Following the Save the Albatross voyage I came across disturbing information about the effects on seabirds, of plastic floating in the sea. It really is quite an eye opener:

http://www.coastwildlife.org/AnimalsWhichIngestPlastic.html

Many people think that we should not do voluntary litter picks as we pay the Council to do that, but they have an insurmountable job to do, and in view of the effects on wildlife, I think we should all take some responsibility for clearing it.

Of course, it would be so much better if people, grown up, not just young people, didn't dump the rubbish in the first place. I felt quite ashamed to find a bidet, car tyres, toilets, garden rubbish, building waste etc. dumped among the cans, bottles and crisp packets. Now, children aren't doing that - so what an example to set to our children

for the rant, but I had to get it off my chest, and oddly enough we enjoyed it. Several members of the local community came out to help the Council Wardens etc. and we had a laugh. It looked so much better when we finished and once the Spring growth comes up it will look as it should - a lovely oasis of calm riverside habitat on the edge of a big city.

We hope to keep it that way, but we shouldn't have to do it.

Websailor

Dear Websailor!

It’s such a shame how people act towards nature. Bidets and toilets!? That’s insane!

It’s great that you’re devoting your leisure-time to help “cleaning up nature”. I really admire what you’re doing, and reading your journal is quite an inspiration to get started volunteering myself!

to you for getting out there and actually doing something about it.

Aww, the idea of cosy froglets is rather lovely.

The bidet and toilet would make great plant containers, i rescued a couple ages back and used them for this.

with trying to educate people about all this nonsense.

zdt

I remember a few years ago I was taken short while driving down a long motorway? So I came off the motorway on to another "A" route. Anyway, when I found a "suitable" place to stop?
I jumped out of the car and down the embankment out of sight I saw an old plastic bucket that some one had thrown out of a car, it was only when I was half way through my "business" when I saw it move!
After I saw what was causing this, I shot up the embankment a lot quicker that I did coming down (despite my urgent need).
The bucket was being used as a home by a family of the biggest RATS that I had ever seen
Smudger,

Hi, everyone - did anyone look at the link



Thanks for the applause. I find working with volunteers is so much fun, because you only do it if you want to. It is now part of my social life and I have met some lovely people who will, I think, be lifelong friends. They are all ages and both sexes with a similar sense of humour so it doesn't seem like a chore.

Terri,

I might have known you would find a use for such things. I used to be like that, but my other half has put his foot down I bring more back from car boot sales than I sell too!! I would send it over to you but it's a bit big for a cheese box, and the carriage would be expensive a bit more than

Oh, and yes, the froglets did seem cute and cosy till these great galumping humans exposed them to daylight and mayhem. They settled down again though.

Smudger,

I was laughing at the picture you had painted till the end. Then I am afraid you encountered the one bit of wildlife I just cannot feel any affection for. The likelihood of encountering rats is high where we were, very close to a railway line. When working as we did yesterday we wear boots and thick gloves. Wash your hands before eating, for fear of leptospirosis, especially if working near water. Ensure you expose no cuts or abrasions in your hands to water or soil.

That's another reason it was essential to clear the stuff as it attracts even more of them. Unfortunately we have takeaways and ketchup at the top of the steep hill, and it obviously isn't that tasty as much of it ends up in this particular patch.

Even the squirrels are partial to a bit of curry and chips now and again

It is such a shame because it is a very short distance from a nice residential area, and is a favourite walk for dog owners. It seems some of the residents are not so nice. We know that most of the rubbish is dumped by people passing through to another area which is annoying.

Websailor

Some people are - I was going to say pigs but that would insult the pigs. We live in Devon and a short way from our house is a nice little lane where I like to walk. People are always dumping old cookers, fridges and other rubbish in the farm gate ways along this lane and it is, literally, 500 yards from the nearest council tip - what is wrong with them?
Good on you Websailor - thank goodness there are good people like you to clear up after the other selfish ones.

PS In Sydney, Australia the councils have two or three days in the year where people can leave out old fridges, sofas, cookers, anything, in fact, and the council will come along an collect it all up free of charge. That seems to be a gog system.

I mean a good idea of course!

Good for you doing that!
I spent a fair amount of time each place we ever camped or fished cleaning up anything I could. It became a way to say thanks for the pleasure of enjoying a spot.

The link - I was surprised iplastic is as common a problem with birds and other small animals as it is sealife. They say there is a continuous load of plastic floating throughout the gulf stream.

Plastic and fast food is till the largest roadside trash problem here. It has improved but still a problem in many areas.
The local chambers of commerce in the US use the "adopt a highway" approach. Trash is picked up reguarly. It has been quite succesful with groups and families ,garden clubs,scouts, workplaces. They also use county prisoners for work on many interstates.

THings were very trashy in the 60's before strict littering laws and this program. It was Americans traveling to Canada and seeing their spotless highways that shamed Americans into taking action!

In beautiful rural areas you still see areas that are dumps with refrigerators,pampers... they always seem to be along streams too.

Children dying in old refrigerators stopped a lot of those being badly discarded. Paid recycling of metals-plastics and glass has helped. Fortunately the car disposal business must be lucrative because it is not the unsightly problem it was in the 60's either. You cannot leave every car you have ever owned on your rural or urban property!

If you live in a large city they have large pick up once a month for appliances- furniture - wood- tree debris. The hazardous sites set-up yearly for people to drop off liquids , batteries,used motor oil, antifreeze and other items. I thnk somebody may be able to take them at all times but that it's very limited. There is finally a place for computers and electronic parts.

I had a mini-fit with a neighbor about killing her weeds by pouring motor oil along the fences. She did not have the slightest idea of what a large acerage is polluted by motor oil on the ground. I do not have the figure handy but it is shocking.

Here in Fife Scotland we used to have "free uplifts" which meant if you wanted to get rid of old fridges, beds, cookers or even garden rubbish, they would send a truck round to collect it free of charge!

Then for some reason, they decided to charge £10 per uplift
which may not sound much, but it you are unemployed (which a lot of folk are here in Ffe) or on benefits (like myself) then £10 might as well be £100.
Oh! yes, and just to make sure they dont miss you, they also increased the fine for "fly tipping" by 200%

Its nice to know, that your local government have your best interest at heart, aint it?????????
Smudger,

Carole,

Strangely enough our Council does a pick up of all large rubbish free of charge. You sometimes have to wait for them to fetch it but they do. From time to time they also have a day(an area at a time) where you leave everything outside your house and they pick up again free.

Businesses have to pay to dump at a site, and some dodge this by dumping.

I don't think there is any animal as dirty, wasteful and destructive as the human species
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Abbi,

your area seems to do really well on recycling and clearing up - perhaps we should all take a trip to Canada I am glad you looked at the link re. plastic in the sea. It was a dreadfu shock to me, and I thought I was unshockable! I agree motor oil is dreadful. We have a car breakers yard at the end of this lane and that causes problems too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Smudger,

Our council collects free, but doesn't pursue fly tippers as rigorously as they should. Fines and charges are all very well but it has definitely increased the amount of tipping. Now they are planning to fine anyone who puts their rubbish bags out on the pavements too early - £1,000!!! They say it is because it attract the little varmints, foxes etc. but the binmen make more mess dropping stuff and not clearing up.

I recycle just about everything I can, but our area doesn't recycle plastic which is very, very annoying.

Websailor

I dont know why, but Ive always been into recycling In fact I had to go and buy a packet of screws the other day??? Ive always reclaimed screws and nails and hinges ect for old wood & stuff, and never bought anything like that for years

Im not a liberal tree hugger in that sence, Its just that I hate to see stuff that will never rot, like plastic being thrown away

Our council has even started a scheme for picking garden refuse now! they collect it, turn it into compost, then sell it back to us! Eh!
Smudger,

Smudger,

We must come from a similar background. When my Dad died I kept all his screws, nuts, bolts, nails, tacks, hinges, door bolts, hooks and everything you can think of. We don't buy anything like that and haven't for years. Also lots of office stuff belonging to my aunt. I am still using paper that must be 50/50 years old. I save zips and buttons too

It is called Frugal Living - there's a brilliant website devoted to it which I find more and more useful. Lots of tips from like minded people. I don't buy or use any of the chemical cleaners any more I have gone back to basics.

With the price of the balloon packs of screws, nails etc. designed to prevent theft, but also to milk us of as much money as possible, it makes sense!

BTW, how is your other half these days


Websailor

Ah! yes how true WS, the price of these packets of screws ect is
remeber the old days when you bought them lose by the pound (Lbs) to our generation
When I ran my second hand furniture business, I used to buy clapped out furniture for as little as £2 just to strip all the fittings screws ect and wood from it. Sometimes I used to get £10 worth of fittings from one piece!

Mk2 is ok for now, as we are not going out in this cold weather much, she has even managed a couple of trips to the bingo with her sisters in the evenings
Smudger,

Smudger,

I am trying to have a clear out of truly unnecessary stuff (to make room for some more, my husband says!)but it is so hard

Glad Mk2 is having some fun. Let's hope she has a good win so you can treat yourselves. You deserve it!

Websailor

Hi WS, well I hope you find the space to fill up with more stuff

We received word from my lawyer today! In fact Ive just sent them by E-mail, up the statement they asked me to look over.
In fact I ended up re-writing it for them, as you know what these lawyers are like with their techy jargon

they reckon it will be settled by June!! so fingers (and everything else) crossed
Smudger,