Litter picks with RSPCA North Wilts'
We live in a time when there are some very big problems that need dealing with. The scale of these problems can seem overwhelming. So, what to do? Understanding a problem well can lead us to solutions. How?
Sharing is caring
I love charity shops. They sell second hand donations, which is a form of reuse. Shops are unique and transient, selling a diverse range of stuff, an Aladdin's cave... even they have no idea what they will be selling on a given day. And all this time and effort is given largely freely for good causes. Let's contrast this with Mega Bargain Cheap Land. For sale are rows of the same unsustainable, unethical, sweatshop, child-labour rubbish! Workers and suppliers are paid as little as possible. Company lobbyists work to remove workers' rights and environmental protections in a giant race to the bottom of destruction and misery, rooted in selfishness and competition. Why support that?
The right place at the right time
I got to know Jody, at the time an RSPCA shop manager in town, through my frequent visits to the shop. We had many good conversations, especially about animal welfare and the environment. Being two determined and dedicated people to our respective causes, we started to formulate ideas. Swindon Climate Action Network decided to launch a local plastic campaign for Plastic Free July 2018. Jody and I decided to co-organise a litter pick in Pinehurst which would launch the campaign. To aid this, RSPCA North Wilts' kindly wrote an article about their work, about the injuries and suffering caused to animals by our waste. This was happening right here and now in Swindon, not just in some far-away ocean gyre.
Litter causes animal suffering in Swindon
I volunteered in the RSPCA shop for a while. There I met Maggie, a regular to the shop who lives close by. She spends a great deal of time looking after pigeons. They get injured in all manner of ways, especially by our rubbish. This problem was worse than I had realised. I think that it's worse than most of us realise. And it's right in front of us, if we care to look.
Surfing the litter wave
The litter pick with the RSPCA went really well and we started doing a regular litter pick in Pinehurst. Like many places across Swindon, Pinehurst has persistent litter that has been there for years. I remember distinctly being watched by a boy of about 7 who was riding a bike. He looked astonished. It seemed that he couldn't get his head around what we were doing. We were only picking up litter but this was something that I don't think he'd ever seen before. Setting a good example can help create positive new norms.
We alse started to venture further with our picks. We made great progress in Pinehurst. People and groups joined us from all over Swindon; Swindon Street Reps, The Green Party, The Labour Party, Shine Pinehurst... We even branched out into nearby Gorse Hill (thanks to Michael's Workwear for providing us with free gloves!). It was heartening to see other litter picks spring up around Swindon.
Eventually the energy dissipated, the litter picks subsided and we decided to move. We achieved a lot in our time working together; raising awareness of important issues; highlighting the work of our respective organisations; encouraging community co-operation to sort out problems; challenging the norms of litter and waste; encouraging activity.
Thank you so much to everyone who took part in the litter picks. You are the changemakers and activists that make a difference in brightening up our town, making it a more friendly place for people and wildlife! And a huge thank you to all at RSPCA North Wilts'.