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August 2023 Picking Up Rubbish Makes a Difference
August 2023 Picking Up Rubbish Makes a Difference
Aug 14, 2023
What Happens When We Make a Habit of Picking Up Rubbish?
Lately I have noticed a distinct improvement in the cleanliness of the walkway along the seashore close to my house and the ocean next to it. When I first started walking along the walkway next to the ocean here in Woy Woy there was frequently rubbish on the path and in the ocean. However no more. The neighbourhood is now spotless and when I go for my daily walk I rarely find any rubbish to pick up..
It goes to show attitudes and people can change and what an improvement a clean environment is! It is a beautiful environment and it is enjoyable to walk there. It supports my theory that picking up rubbish is a self righting strategy. The cleaner an environment is, the more out of place the rubbish looks and the more incentive there is to go that extra mile and pick it up.
When there is a lot of rubbish present we tend to turn away from that environment. We find the problem of clearing the rubbish is too great. The rubbish looks unpleasant and out of place and spoils the beauty of the environment. As we have explained previously rubbish tends to gravitate to oceans and other waterways where it accumulates and causes harm to the environment and is hazardous to marine life. It spoils our enjoyment of the ocean.
However these days the ocean where I currently live is pretty free of rubbish, the water is clear and marine life is thriving. How wonderful is it that whales have returned to Sydney Harbour. In part because the water is clean and in part because they are no longer hunted. Attitudes change and we are learning to be better stewards of the environment. Movements like Clean Up Australia and Clean Up the World heighten awareness of the environment and lead us to take better care of that environment.
The Spruce Initiative is an awareness training exercise which leads to stewardship of the environment and benefits the individual as well as the community. Increased awareness of the environment leads to increased awareness in other areas of our lives.
Just the other day I was out on my daily walk practising the Spruce Initiative when I noticed a squashed can on the ground near the walkway around the ocean. The can wasn’t going to blow away and I thought rather than pick the squashed can up and put it in the nearest rubbish bin where it would become landfill and wouldn’t be recycled, I would pick it up on my way home and put it in the recycle bin at my house. I walked for another 15 minutes or so and on my return looked for the squashed can. Do you know I looked for it everywhere and couldn’t find it. There weren’t many people around but in that 15 minutes someone found the squashed can and picked it up. Hopefully it was put in a recycling bin and recycled.
How pleasantly surprised I was. I knew people were taking better care of the local environment but here was actual proof. Awareness has changed and people have become more proactive. People can become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. It is as easy as making a commitment to pick up just one piece of rubbish when you are out on your daily walk. Just one. It is easy, takes no time out of your day and requires no special equipment. You too can be a better community member and a steward of the environment. Never think you can’t make a difference. It all comes down to individual responsibility and the willingness of the individual to do their share.
When enough people are like minded as we have explained ours is a self righting strategy. The environment becomes clean and stays clean. One small action by an individual when repeated many times by many individuals leads to lasting positive change. It is safe for animals and we can all enjoy the beauty of our built and natural environments.
Remember: one piece a day sends the rubbish away! Don’t just clean, let’s Spruce!
Cheers,
Felicity
Clean and green is our motto. Remember: one piece a day sends the rubbish away! Don’t just clean let’s Spruce.
www.thespruceinitiative.info
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