Take only photos, leave only footprints.

[beach bum]

It's been my sig line since I got here One does what one can but even your presence in the outdoors has to have some effect, even if it's only your carbon emissons getting there.

My big thing is the beach there's always more drift wood than anyone could ever want. Along with the drift wood comes poly rope ,netting ,plastic bottles etc., the overall effect I have on the beach is minimal when compared with all the gargage that gets thrown up on every tide.

Last year I went up Pen-Y-Fan for the first time in decades, what was a sheep trail forty years ago is now a ditch as deep as my armpits with all the erosion from the walkers, and that can only bode ill for the future. It was also as busy as the High Street with dozens upon dozens of walkers out there.

We all have to examine our own actions of cause and effect, and do the best you can, I'll still have it as my sig line though




regards

beach bum

 

[PhilParry]

Variation on a theme....


Take only waterproofs....leave only (buried) pooh....!!!


Ahem....I never admitted to being a poet!!


Seriously, I went for a wonder yesterday in our local woods and couldn't believe the amount of litter...I could have easily filled up a bin liner. In fact, I'll be up there later in the week to do just that!

Phil

 

[redcollective]

That's great idea phil, how about one day a year (lets not get too ambitious) when BCUK visitors solemly vow to take a bin liner out for a walk and collect rubbish? What do you reckon folks? I'd be up for it (already do a little bit here and there anyway)

Back in Aus there is a national 'clean up australia day' andit's very popular.

 

[Fluxus]

great idea RC, national clean up the woods day. need welders mitts for nasty sharp things. lets pick a date!
Flux

 

[Pablo]

Well up for the litter day... :You_Rock_ although I do this anyway. Anyone near a water-way could possibly look for anglers hooks and line as well.

Pablo

 

[Seagull]

Phil, whilst on your litter foray ,be prepared for some really weird looks and gormless questions, from the joe-public.

I,ve learned that a lot of folk (when you do tell ,em what youre doing), seem , quite wrongly, to get the hump. As though they were under suss, which they aint, they asked!

Another one, far too frequent, is clearly wonderment , when nature/somebody else/ woodland trust, will clear up.
Hand on heart, I gotta say that my fingers twitch when I hear this one

Take my hat off to you.

At the days end, youre satisfied ,having done a good deed.


Ceeg

 

[redcollective]

This might get people thinking at least:

http://www.cleanup.com.au/

There's a pin-off 'Clean up the world' event which I didn't know about - seems focussed in the southern hemisphere/Asia at the moment but our friends in France and Spain appear to be ahead of us.

http://www.cleanup.com.au/Main.asp?Requesttype=Doc&DocID=331&CatID=4

Date appears to be the weekend of the 16th to 18th of September. So if anyone asks - you can say "I'm cleaning up the world" - now that won't get you any strange looks LOL

You can get information here: http://www.cleanup.com.au/Main.asp?Requesttype=Doc&DocID=211&CatID=55

But before anyone decides to be an organiser remember you probably need permission to remove rubbish from someone else's property - strange as that may seem.

 

[Seagull]

This might get people thinking at least:

http://www.cleanup.com.au/

There's a pin-off 'Clean up the world' event which I didn't know about - seems focussed in the southern hemisphere/Asia at the moment but our friends in France and Spain appear to be ahead of us.

http://www.cleanup.com.au/Main.asp?Requesttype=Doc&DocID=331&CatID=4

Date appears to be the weekend of the 16th to 18th of September. So if anyone asks - you can say "I'm cleaning up the world" - now that won't get you any strange looks LOL

You can get information here: http://www.cleanup.com.au/Main.asp?Requesttype=Doc&DocID=211&CatID=55

But before anyone decides to be an organiser remember you probably need permission to remove rubbish from someone else's property - strange as that may seem.

Now thats a damn good ,heads-up type of a post.
For sure I will be going with that one.

Pity about the last sentence.

There would just have to be something, wouldn,t there now.
Stifle the brains, seems the order of the day.

Who was it , that said, " The saddest thing about life, is what dies in a man, while he lives"

Rant over: you have the floor.

Ceeg

 

[black_kissa]

Phil, whilst on your litter foray ,be prepared for some really weird looks and gormless questions, from the joe-public.

But also be prepared for happy faces, because there are a lot of people who see what should be done but don't do it.

I found this out while I was removing pushpins, nails and such from trees along the main road in town - many people stopped aind said they were happy to see someone do that.
In turn, it made me realize how many people just don't know where to start cleaning up our mess... they just need a little support and encouragement
So I'm happy to read about the Cleanup initiative!

Live and Love,
Anneke

 

[Wayne]

I regularly go out armed with bin bags and gloves to collect rubbish. I dont mind the coke cans and other assorted litter. What really bugs me is the mount of dog Sxxt in plastic bags thrown into bushes.

I have 2 dogs bit still find this disgusting. Pick up and carry it out to a proper bin.

 

[Les Marshall]

I agree with Wayne about the dog do do's, I went to Kingleyvale yesterday and today and was disgusted to find the path that leads up to the vale absolutely littered with dog mess. I do not blame the dog, I blame the owner.

I think the original phrase was "Take away only memories and leave only foot prints", I'm not certain, but I think this was originated by native American's to protect their traditional campsites and may well originate from the dawn of time.

I too, take all my rubbish home with me and when I cook, I try to use a camp stove, yes, I know it has an impact on the ozone, but if I do not need to light a wood fire, why do so? I know I can light a fire if I really have to and do so from time to time to demonstrate to people who ask me to show them how.

No matter what we do in the wild, we will have some sort of an impact on environment, it's just knowing how to keep it to a minimum.

 

[Ben Trout]

I'm a keen walker and find the amount of litter in a lot of areas quite worrying. Surely most people walk for a love of the outdoors, so why the lack of respect? I rarely finish a walk without a pocketful of other peoples rubbish. Whatever outdoor activity I am involved with, I try to minimise my impact on the environment and landscape. You guys and girls are good company, thanks.

 

[falling rain]

'Take only photographs leave only footprints'
I saw this irritating phrase written. Someone had written this in permanent marker pen on a wooden bridge out in the countryside. I can't explain why but that saying annoys me. Although I do agree with the ethos

 

[Great Pebble]

If I saw it scrawled on anything it would annoy me too....

Clean Up The World sounds like a do-er

 

[redcollective]

Re this cleanup the world idea - any West Yorkshire based folk interested in throwing a day at cleaning up a public space (pref woodland), somewhere in west yorkshire - please PM me.

The Cleanup the world thing runs the weekend of 15-17th September.

 

[Siecroz]

A Friend and I went up Tryfan (Mountain in North Wales) over this weekend. As we were scrambling back down the slopes we came across a half empty bottle of mineral water that some dis-respectful muppet had deposited in a hollow between some rocks and left there. So I video'd my mate reaching down, and removing it .. and the explicit disgust that he displayed

The following day we Wild Camped above Dolgarrog near to Coety Reservoir.. Whislt walking there over the mountains, we were shocked and appauled at just how much litter we found either wedged into rocks by rivers, or carelessly dropped into reed beds on open marshland.

When we got home 2 days later... we were unpacking the boot to find the mineral water bottle that we had not yet found a bin for ... D'OH!

Might just be the way I have been trained not to leave anything that your "Enemies" might use to track you and gain intelligence from... but something about seeing a Crisp Packet floating in a fresh water mountain pool really winds me up!!!,, :aargh4:

As always... I took lots of photo's... but did the routine litter sweep and placing mother nature back the way she was when I arrived to ensure that she will welcome us back with open arms the next time.

:notworthy

 

[redcollective]

All I can say folks is no matter how much it irks you to pick up other peoples garbage - keep doing it! :You_Rock_

 

[anthonyyy]

I’m sure nobody here litters the countryside and I applaud those who pick up other people’s rubbish*. However, do bear in mind that if you travel by car (as I do) you are probably doing more damage to the environment than the odd crisp packet.

Speaking of collecting rubbish: I came across a chap once picking up rubbish at a riverside walk. He had a money collection box and a sign stating “today’s cleanup is in aid of guide dogs for the blind”

 

[demographic]

What about cutting up all the deadwood for campfires and therefore ruining the habitat of fungi and many insects, birds, places for adders to hide underneath?

I assume all those Gransfors are not for self defence

 

[redcollective]

Right, well I've got my local councillor interested in the idea of cleaning up somewhere for Cleanup the World Weekend. Any West Yorkshire/leeds folk interested? She can't promise anything of course but has suggested I think of a location and had offered to set up a meeting with a contact. That's a lot better than a 'thankyou' letter.

Imagine the possibilities... a little bit of work.... stop for a brew...another bit of work... stop for another brew!

Anybody know of a public woodland in the Leeds area that could benefit from a cleanup?