Cleaning up (part of) Captains Flat Rd 2015

I felt that I was spinning my wheels a bit this afternoon so it seemed sensible to clear things for the morrow by doing my clean up a day early.  As usual I covered Captains Flat Rd from Widgiewa Rd down to Briars-Sharrow Rd (about 500 linear metres).

To a small extent I had already made a start a few days ago when a friend asked for old aluminium cans for use in an art work.  I took about 15 undamaged ones to her.

Here are a few thoughts about today's collection.

The first image is to illustrate the point that not using plastic shopping bags doesn't necessarily make you environmentally aware.  This bag was undamaged so has joined our collection at home.
 I wasn't able to peel much of these balloon remnants off the sign.
It is sort of like the old bushwalking adage: if you can carry a full can or bottle into the bush, surely you can carry the empty one out.  Why can't these folk come and take the balloons away after the party?

I am always interested to note the changes in branding of the throwaways.  This year nearly all the beer bottles were Carlton Dry.  They - about a slab worth - were spread fairly evenly.
 For cans Red Bull had regained dominance.  I think I only picked up one "Mother".  (As an aside, after the pick up I watched a TV interview with on of the rev-heads from Red Bull car racing.  A very arrogant person, typical of what one might expect from a company responsible for much litter.)
This was the worst area.  It seems to be a gathering spot for trail bikers and I tend to put much fault on them.
Overall I picked up 3 sacks of pure rubbish and 2 of recycling.  Perhaps a little more than usual.  The good news is that there was very little around the school bus stop.  Perhaps the kids took the hint when Palerang Shire cleaned that area up in late December?  As I left a truckload of trail bikers turned up so if the area is cruddy tomorrow we'll know where it has come from!

No rubbish was at the bus stop the next morning.  Here are a few snaps taken as I went to hand in my crud at the Community Hall:



I will conclude with a column by the Editor of Country Life UK.

Comments

Mary Chamie said…
Hi there, Martin,
There is nothing quite so discouraging as looking at one's neighborhood to describe the litter one sees. We really need a campaign to send litter back to the corporation that produced it. If we had better recycling policies I would hope fewer items would be dropped on the ground or in our neighborhood, into the ocean. We not only get the litter dropped in our area, we get loads of litter dropped at sea that drifts onto our beaches. Not at all a pretty site. Keep up the good work of reporting.
Flabmeister said…
Good to hear from you Mary. I often think about sending stuff back but the problem is not really one of the companies. I am usually far from an apologist for Big Business but the issue is the attitude of the thoughtless bogans who chuck it, not the producers. I think the trash should be sampled by DNA analysis to identify who chucked it and the offenders put to work on weekends cleaning up the countryside (as well as being fined to cover the coat of the DNA analysis).
Anonymous said…
Just got back from doing my bit on CUA Day. Like you say Red Bull and take-away containers formed the bulk of it. There was less than last year on the same strip. I do appreciate that Big Business has at least swapped polystyrene containers for paper ones. At least paper does break down to become soil after a bit of weathering and is not as unsightly as candy wrappers and crisp packets.
Flabmeister said…
Well done Nonny Mouse.

Martin
Alison Norman said…
The photos you shared are depressing to see, especially the first photo; it was even an “environment-friendly bag”, yet someone just threw it away on the road. Even though it is biodegradable, it just adds to the garbage that would pollute the road. Everyone should be aware of this crisis, cleanliness should be prioritized, and everyone should take action in maintaining it.

Alison Norman @ PowerBoss
Flabmeister said…
Thanks for that Alison. What can I say beyond "I totally agree."?

Martin

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