Litter picking.

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longers

Legendary Member
Just been for a wander and there's a few places nearby that need a couple of hours of litter picking in wooded areas as they look quite grim.

From having a quick look at the Keep Britain Tidy website in the past, they'll help get one organised and I'd get in touch with the council but has anyone had any experience of organising litter picks? Successfully or not.

Is the hardest part getting people to participate?
 

snakehips

Well-Known Member
longers said:
Is the hardest part getting people to participate?

It's all to do with caring.
We have an annual clear up on the local bit of river bank. Everybody local cares about that bit of bank , it's one of the reasons we live here , so there's never a shortage of volunteers.
On the other hand , if you asked the same people to go to some nearby bit of woodland you probably wouldn't get anywhere near the same response.

Snake

My Library
 
Organizing: no. Participating: yes. How to interest people in participating: don't know, you need the right sort of contact group full of people with an environmental conscience (like us), whom you can E-mail...

Had some amusing 'finds' amongst all the junk, but posted about that on another thread. On the whole it can be a satisfying activity, but can turn to heartbreak when you get back to the site a week later and discover the fly-tippers have been busy in the meantime restoring the site to as-you-were. ;) Don't know any way to put paid to this disgusting behaviour for all time...

One caution that we ran up against: hope this doesn't happen to you. On one litter-pick we gathered up an impressive amount of stuff - certainly more than one skip-full. This was at the behest of the Town Council. Then they contacted the next tier up - District Council, responsible for refuse collection - to send a lorry around to scoop it up. At this point, it was discovered that the DC would levy the standard commercial charge for this service - so many pounds per tonne. The TC refused to cough up, so that's how the matter was left on the day: all the rubbish neatly gathered up and left in a heap by the roadside. I heard that after a lot of wrangling, the heap was eventually removed about a week later (having in the meantime attracted in the rats :laugh:).

Can't win.
 
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OP
longers

longers

Legendary Member
snakehips said:
It's all to do with caring.

I helped at a few clear ups and the like that were done at the park near my old house and that was easy for them to organise as it was the regular users who came long and they were very successful.

Getting people to come along and tidy up a random bit of woodland and pick litter they didn't drop might not be so easy. Half a dozen people would make short work of it so it's worth trying I think.

There's very little community spirit in this locality, or if there is then they're not telling me.
I'm not extrovert enough to organise street parties or anything like that but thought this might help a bit ;)
 

Dan B

Disengaged member
661-Pete said:
On the whole it can be a satisfying activity, but can turn to heartbreak when you get back to the site a week later and discover the fly-tippers have been busy in the meantime restoring the site to as-you-were. ;) Don't know any way to put paid to this disgusting behaviour for all time...
Station snipers in the trees
 

Noodley

Guest
Get in touch with your local Probation Service - they should have community service teams that can get involved in litter picking.
 
Noodley said:
Get in touch with your local Probation Service - they should have community service teams that can get involved in litter picking.
I'm sure that's an excellent approach, but I'm wondering: if the litter-pick is close to a residential estate (as they usually are) - the 'locals' may welcome this option with - er - less than outright enthusiasm. I'm afraid human nature plays a part here.

Indeed on my sallies into the litter-pick game, we were often eyed up with curiosity by passing residents, usually walking their dogs. And we - motley bunch of honest citizens of all ages, sexes, and appearances that we were - didn't in the least resemble a gang of 'community' guys...
 

Noodley

Guest
661-Pete said:
I'm sure that's an excellent approach...

As do I. And as the manager of a service which overseas such an approach I know it works well. There has never been a negative reaction to my knowledge. There has been curiosity, and when informed about what is happening there has been an overwhelmingly positive repsonse.

Remember, people on community service live in the communities in which they work - people on community service are just as likely to be someone's friend, neighbour, odd-job man, son, daughter, dad, mum, mechanic, shop assistant as they are to be the 'stereotypical scumbag'...

You miserable git :biggrin:

And...

...nehr! :ohmy:
 
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longers

longers

Legendary Member
Community Payback is a good suggestion and Cubists link is excellent, a quick and easy online form and that's it. I met a group last year who were clearing brambles from beside a footpath and they did a good job of it.

I'll have to have a think and see if there's other suitable projects that are "good" for them to do and will be of benefit to everyone.
 

Noodley

Guest
longers said:
I'll have to have a think and see if there's other suitable projects that are "good" for them to do and will be of benefit to everyone.

Okay - I'll give you a 'starter for ten'...

Across the country there are thousands of graveyards with headstones knocked over and in dis-repair, and the councils cannot afford/cannot be bothered/not their job....'my current idea' but add weight to it.

Actually if people do have ideas for projects let me know.
 
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longers

longers

Legendary Member
If I suggested putting up bird boxes would risk assessments for working on ladders etc make it a non starter?

Is funding for materials and equipment hard to find or is there a budget for it?
 

Noodley

Guest
trustysteed said:
it's a bottomless pit of expense?

Nope, not if it's done properly.

What expense would there be that is over and above 'normal' expense for a community service (I use the Scottish term) team?
 
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