Recycle whilst we ride

[biggs682]

Something popped up on Facebook yesterday - a local initiative organising rides specially to pick up litter. It's a young people's project and they've three rides organised in May. Sounds good to me!

I went out on foot the other day and filled four bin bags with rubbish. Still some more to do when I next have the chance.

I must admit i am tempted to take a small rucksack on one ride a week and just fill it with plastic bottles whilst doing one of my 10 - 13 mile loops

 

[annedonnelly]

I must admit i am tempted to take a small rucksack on one ride a week and just fill it with plastic bottles whilst doing one of my 10 - 13 mile loops

Whatever feels right to you. As you've said - every little helps.

For me I think a dedicated pick is more satisfying - once I've picked one thing I want to get the next & the next...

 

[biggs682]

Whilst out on a our daily walk around the block last night we came across a couple who both had shopping bags and grab sticks , as we walked towards them the lady stopped what she was doing and told us that every night they walk along some of the local footpaths and they stop at a random point and both collect a bag of rubbish each one does recyclable stuff whilst the other does non recyclable .

They admitted it made little difference but they felt better for doing it , i explained how i did a similar thing and they were happy to think they were not the only people that cared .

 

[Jenkins]

Sorry to dig this one up again, but I came across the first of what I suspect to be many of the England car window flags where the plastic clip had broken off so I did my bit and stuck it in my pocket for the remaining 30 odd miles home. Also on Monday there was one of the large Sports Direct polypropylene shopping bags in a hedgerow which I picked up and will re-task as a garden rubbish bag.

 

[annedonnelly]

Sorry to dig this one up again, but I came across the first of what I suspect to be many of the England car window flags where the plastic clip had broken off so I did my bit and stuck it in my pocket for the remaining 30 odd miles home. Also on Monday there was one of the large Sports Direct polypropylene shopping bags in a hedgerow which I picked up and will re-task as a garden rubbish bag.

Don't be sorry for bumping the thread - nice to have a reminder of what we're doing. I was on the bus yesterday and had a 20 minute walk at the end of it. Picked up a big plastic bag almost immediately and stuck it in the next bin I passed. I need to get out and do a dedicated pick again soon - hopefully next week.

 

[biggs682]

Still picking up plastic drinks bottles , tins or glass bottles on every ride and then dropping into the recycle bins either at home or work

 

[snorri]

Whilst the amount of litter is still annoying, it doesn't seem to irritate me to the same extent since I have started filling up an old pannier with discarded plastic, glass and metal containers along my route when out for leisure and recreation runs on the bike.

 

[biggs682]

On my lunch break cycle home i stopped to pick up a discarded tin and had to drop it straight away as it was very very hot a passing walker then started moaning at me for being a litter lout !!!!

I didn't try to explain so just bent down again and picked it up and promptly slid it in to my rear pocket .

It also made me think how much risk is there of an alloy tin sat in the sun setting fire to surrounding dried out grass etc etc

 

[raleighnut]

On my lunch break cycle home i stopped to pick up a discarded tin and had to drop it straight away as it was very very hot a passing walker then started moaning at me for being a litter lout !!!!

I didn't try to explain so just bent down again and picked it up and promptly slid it in to my rear pocket .

It also made me think how much risk is there of an alloy tin sat in the sun setting fire to surrounding dried out grass etc etc

Glass bottles are the hazard, they act like a magnifying glass in some situations.

 

[annedonnelly]

Just in case anyone needs any further incentive to pick up rubbish, they can click here for a rather distressing image of a red squirrel killed by a discarded plastic bottle.

Keep up the good work everyone!

 

[Garry A]

Saw a pigeon this week with it's head stuck in a McFlurry lid. Litter really gets on my nerves.

 

[FishFright]

Mac D's do seem to provide a disproportionately large portion of the litter I see, even in rural areas .

 

[Pale Rider]

I've just been watching some of the Ride London pro race.

Some riders were making some effort to throw empty bottles and musettes in the direction of spectators.

Many were not, flinging bottles into the verdant Surrey hedgerows where they will remain unless found and collected.

There's no need to chuck bottles, when getting fresh ones the riders could easily pass the empty the other way, whether that's into a team car, helper at the roadside, or to the domestique who delivered it.

Littering is an offence, the law doesn't give any exception to someone taking part in a bicycle race.

On the Tour, riders shower the roadside with empty bottles, admittedly from a larger peloton, and that's in France so it's up to the French if they want to allow their country to be littered.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I've just been watching some of the Ride London pro race.

Some riders were making some effort to throw empty bottles and musettes in the direction of spectators.

Many were not, flinging bottles into the verdant Surrey hedgerows where they will remain unless found and collected.

There's no need to chuck bottles, when getting fresh ones the riders could easily pass the empty the other way, whether that's into a team car, helper at the roadside, or to the domestique who delivered it.

Littering is an offence, the law doesn't give any exception to someone taking part in a bicycle race.

On the Tour, riders shower the roadside with empty bottles, admittedly from a larger peloton, and that's in France so it's up to the French if they want to allow their country to be littered.

Follow a Sportiv route after the "race". Gel packets all over the place

 

[mustang1]

Someone used my bike as a recycling centre. I left my bike on the sidewalk for a week while i was on holiday and when i returned, there were beer cans, coke cans, crisp packets, all stuffed into the rack and spokes etc. I just got a carrier bag and put them into the [proper] recycling centre.