What's wrong in this image...

[Brynglas]

I took a walk over to the West coast of Islay yesterday. Kilchoman beach in Machir Bay is (by Islays' standards a popular and we'll attended beach by virtue of its relative accessibility by road etc.

I often visit here as the West facing shoreline is pretty good for beach combing and there are some fantastic rock pools to have a look around in for crab and lobster.

Anyway, the point of this rambling account is that as I was getting to the southern end of this otherwise pristine beach I found the remains of someone's bonfire surrounded by discarded cans of Strongbow.

I know I shouldn't be surprised nowadays but I can never get my head around some people's attitude in defiling these beautiful places!

Rant over!

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[Tengu]

If its Islay there should be a distillery?

 

[richardhomer]

I'm sorry to say that it happens all over the UK and I bet other country's also have their own problems

 

[Brynglas]

There are eight distilleries on Islay, plenty of choice in that department!

I know that this goes on everywhere, I get just asbfrustrated with that. In all of the years I've been visiting Islay and the Hebrides Its never been a massive issue, in recent years visitor numbering Islay have increased which is generally positive for the local economy, I just despair at people's attitudes sometimes.

 

[wingstoo]

Sadly being struck by the twin of "Hereford lightening" is not what we want in the Scottish Isles...

 

[Macaroon]

I'm sorry to say that it happens all over the UK and I bet other country's also have their own problems

I've travelled to many places over the last forty years or so, and I've lived in many parts of Europe and the 'States; allow me to assure you that the litter problem we have in the UK is not to be found, to the same extent, any where else in the so-called developed world. I've often had guests over here from many parts and I've often been shamed by the levels of mindless littering here - it's disgraceful.

 

[wingstoo]

I've travelled to many places over the last forty years or so, and I've lived in many parts of Europe and the 'States; allow me to assure you that the litter problem we have in the UK is not to be found, to the same extent, any where else in the so-called developed world. I've often had guests over here from many parts and I've often been shamed by the levels of mindless littering here - it's disgraceful.

Back when I was a kid (Pontius Pilot was a cadet back then) we had numerous TV information ditties... Keep Britain Tidy campaign was one of them...

Last year we went up the Elan Valley and saw a discarded McDonald bag... Nearest outlet is 30+ miles away I would have thought... So had to be a car driver or passenger. SAo sad seeing such trash out in such a beautiful setting.

 

[Fraxinus]

Winds me up too, it takes no effort to put stuff in the proper place and even less effort to pack out empties than it takes to pack them in, in a car they have even less to personally carry.
Maybe there should be a campaign where all litter found is returned to the companies who sold it to dispose of at their own cost, at branch level this could mean having the litter dumped in front of the checkouts or order point. Kick 'em where it hurts so littering costs the companies more and they will start campaigning against it (thinking mostly about fast food chains who only see the bottom line)

Rob.

 

[santaman2000]

I've travelled to many places over the last forty years or so, and I've lived in many parts of Europe and the 'States; allow me to assure you that the litter problem we have in the UK is not to be found, to the same extent, any where else in the so-called developed world. I've often had guests over here from many parts and I've often been shamed by the levels of mindless littering here - it's disgraceful.

Depends on just where you go in the States. The popular public places are generally fairly clean (not always but generally) because various public agencies keep them that way as do volunteer organizations. But a walk into the more easily reached portions of the undeveloped woodland reveals another story. I find things as simple as food wrappers and beverage cans to old worn out mattresses and furniture.

 

[The_Taffinch]

As well as the general brain-dead thoughtlessness, it never ceases to amaze me the lengths that people will go to to litter or fly-tip. A couple of years ago I was walking through the nearby Savernake forest and I must have been a good 10-15 min walk up track impassable to any road vehicle when I happened on an enormous tower-style PC computer that someone had dumped. I turned it over just out of curiosity an it weighed a tonne...even though it had been stripped of all drives. Someone must have taken the trouble to struggle all the way down this track to dump it when the local municipal facility is about 5 mins drive away. Totally bizarre.

On another occasion, again in the Savernake I came across in a remote clearing the littered remains of a 4 person full English breakfast, set out almost formally with neatly placed disposable cutlery but yet half-eaten.

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[demographic]

I was going to say that the sand must be washed from somewhere else. Nevermind.

 

[Pete E]

I've travelled to many places over the last forty years or so, and I've lived in many parts of Europe and the 'States; allow me to assure you that the litter problem we have in the UK is not to be found, to the same extent, any where else in the so-called developed world. I've often had guests over here from many parts and I've often been shamed by the levels of mindless littering here - it's disgraceful.

Sadly, that's my observation too...I live not too far from a MacDonald's and the litter is terrible..When they received planning permission for it one of the conditions was they clean up litter within 500m of property...They do this mostly, but sometimes when they get a bit slack, I help them by collecting it myself and dumping it at the till's inside! I am not the only resident to do it either...After the first few months they seemed to get the message..

Still, that does not excuse the idiots who drop it..A lot are typical teenagers and chavs, but many are mums and dads and others who should know better..

 

[21st century pict]

Isn't it crazy, I was camping on a beach near Loch Fleet on Friday night, in the morning I walked to Embo AKA Grannie's Heilan Hame, which is a great big holiday home caravan park on the Moray Firth , anyhoo on the walk along the beach into the caravan site, apart from one fireplace surrounded with stones and some sandcastles the beach was absolutely perfect, not even a poo in a bag, considering it's end of the holiday season, amazingly cleanand I fully understand why it's an award-winning beach twined with some place in Hawaii "well no a sunny day anyway" when the rubbish hits the remote white sand beaches of Barra then it Paradise lost everywhere.

 

[Goatboy]

Maybe we should bring back Joe & Petunia to educate the masses?

[video=youtube;yYQ0ZfiIuQU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYQ0ZfiIuQU[/video]

 

[21st century pict]

I was at a bird hide on a small loch in Moray, on the path between the car park and the hide I found a long paper trail of camera lens packaging chucked away , which annoys me when people blame kids or chaves for the rubbish problem, Its not kids that canoe to the islands on loch lomond and leave there rubbish tied to trees with para cord, maybe we could Gibbet the odd photographer here and there as an example , now that would be a good example for the kids.

 

[woodsorrel]

I plan to visit a nearby marshland next month to pick up all the trash I can find. I walk there for relaxation and to get a respite from the surrounding urban wasteland. It is one of those places where wildlife still maintains a tenuous foothold.

I've decided that if I don't clean the place no one else will. And it is important that somebody do something soon. If the trash is not removed before the winter rains begin, it will be washed into San Francisco Bay.

I feel much better now that I've decided to do something about it. I believe a main tenet of bushcraft is being a good steward for the land.

- Woodsorrel

 

[21st century pict]

I plan to visit a nearby marshland next month to pick up all the trash I can find. I walk there for relaxation and to get a respite from the surrounding urban wasteland. It is one of those places where wildlife still maintains a tenuous foothold.

I've decided that if I don't clean the place no one else will. And it is important that somebody do something soon. If the trash is not removed before the winter rains begin, it will be washed into San Francisco Bay.

I feel much better now that I've decided to do something about it. I believe a main tenet of bushcraft is being a good steward for the land.

- Woodsorrel

Bravo Woodsorrel
Action Direct.

 

[woodsorrel]

Bravo Woodsorrel
Action Direct.

Thanks, 21st century pict. The truth is I finally reached my limit, and I'm embarrassed I didn't do anything sooner.

This forum is a terrific medium to start a small-scale action. I think a "Show us your Trash" thread would be a great message to send to new bushcrafters. Members could post "before" and "after" pictures.

- Woodsorrel

 

[santaman2000]

Maybe we should bring back Joe & Petunia to educate the masses?

[video=youtube;yYQ0ZfiIuQU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYQ0ZfiIuQU[/video]

I always liked this series over here. Sadly this actor died now. https://youtu.be/uGu4AwL5Kho

 

[Goatboy]

Thanks, 21st century pict. The truth is I finally reached my limit, and I'm embarrassed I didn't do anything sooner.

This forum is a terrific medium to start a small-scale action. I think a "Show us your Trash" thread would be a great message to send to new bushcrafters. Members could post "before" and "after" pictures.

- Woodsorrel

My folks were always badgering me to my pockets as a kid as we'd been brought up never to drop litter. Have often spent half an hour to an hour cleaning up a site before setting up camp, especially bad at some of the lochsides where fishermen have been trashing the place literally.
As well as the normal rubbish collection and street sweeping that goes on in our village we have an annual clean up. The surrounding fields and woods are scoured for rubbish and I'm part of a group of three that gets on waders (drysuit for me) and we clean out the burns around the village. It's a bit of fun and for the greater good ("Greater good" - sorry Hot Fuzz fans couldn't resist). So the idea of yours might be a good un.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.