I hate litter. Why must a beautiful spot be blighted by pie wrappers, condoms and wet wipes?
Two years ago Mr B, repulsed by me picking up litter, bought me a litter tool - as a Valentines Day gift! Who says love wanes after 20 years of marriage? It is the best gift he has ever bought me. I pick litter most days. Sadly, the woods and the car parks are used by the detritus of humanity. I can only imagine what goes on there after dark. Weirdos.
And it isn't right that children, old ladies, mum's, dad's and dog walkers should walk through the muck. So I clean it up, bag it up, take it home and throw it away.
The Countryside Ranger is aware of the problem but says there is no budget for any action on her part. There used to be a bin in the car park, but someone set it alight a few years ago. It was never emptied anyway.
When I see evidence of cannabis I tell the Police Community Support Officer. When I see flytipping, I tell the Council. When I see garden waste dumped there, I tell the Ranger. More often than not, if it fits in my car, I don't tell anyone. Just pick it up and take it home. Last week, I recycled more than 20 plastic plant pots at Squires Garden Centre. Job done.
There are builders at work in the road, and there is a constant pile of coffee cups and sandwich wrappers in the ditch. A neighbour saw me, with my litter tool and wooly hat, in the ditch, picking up litter. 'What a good idea' she said. I smiled. If only, more people were truly irritated by litter, the countryside would be a much nicer place. Or perhaps we need a womble or two....
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