Litter. Which do you do moan about it or litter-pick?
I’m lucky enough, or do I mean I choose, to live in the Hampshire countryside and I enjoy walking. A few years back I found myself distracted from the otherwise beautiful surroundings by the amount of litter on the verges. Rather than moan I decided to do something about it. I emailed the local council asking where I could get a litter-picker and to my amazement and delight they delivered one to my door, and I have been happily litter picking ever since.
People’s reactions to litter picking are interesting. Typically they are:
’It’s a disgrace. The council should pick it up.’
‘It’s shocking that there’s so much of it. It’s getting worse.’ (Actually it’s not, especially siince I started picking it up.)
‘ How can people just throw stuff out of their cars like that?’
and most often ‘ Aren’t you good.’
I do feel good about it but not in the way I think they mean. My walks are so productive. I get exercise, clear the litter (I allow myself 1 carrier bag at a time), collect fir cones for the fire and enjoy the scenery. I arrive home satisfied and content that I have done my bit towards improving the world in which I live. I do it for myself and I think others appreciate it too.
And whilst I litter pick I think about more ways of telling the world about Andrew Norriss’s books, and today this was it. Happy reading!
