What is it that is so satisfying about picking up rubbish? Is it doing something good for the environment? Is it about being outside and getting some exercise? Is it because often you are with good community minded people? But you can also do it on your own, whenever you feel like it – just grab a bag and go!
Or is it primal? Our need to look after our surroundings goes way back, there is scientific evidence to suggest cavemen spent more time doing chores than they spent hunting!
For me it’s about all of this, there’s something about making a tangible difference in a short space of time and being able to just do it on the spur of the moment or to arrange to do it with a group.
Our Big Tidy Litter Pick with Bristol Waste on the19th December was the soggiest litter pick I have ever done. It was absolutely bucketing. But there we were, merrily slopping bits of trash into massive bin bags and feeling fantastic! We cleared about five bin bags worth from the front of the Greenway Centre car park and another seven from Doncaster Road Park in time for the tree planting that was happening there the next day.
It was only when water started coming through my boots and my toes started to freeze that we decided to call it a day. But the sense of satisfaction was immense, in just a couple of hours I felt like I’d really achieved something. I think battling the rain actually added to that sense of achievement!
Is this sounding appealing? If you fancy the satisfaction but not the sogginess we are hoping to make this a regular thing and have ordered some drier weather. Our next litter pick will be in February/March. Please look out for the date on our website What’s On and on socials. Meanwhile, if you’d like to be added to our Volunteer Litter Picker list we can give you a call or email about future dates so do get in touch.
email: lucillesmith@southmead.org
telephone: 07498 755 863
