Important:   Litter can be contaminated, so we have put together some information to help you handle it safely. Please click on this link to have a read through our Health and Safety Guidance before you go out litter-picking.

 

Clearing the reeds

Coventry,CV6 5BD

01 May 2019

23:00

Picking litter from the reeds and water in particular between bridge 3 and 2, on the bend of the canal Fresh after being chased by a moorhen dad last night on my walk home (I kid you not!) as I walked along the towpath completely unaware that mother and baby were hiding in the reeds I was looking at prompting me to do this litter pick, I was indeed shouted at my an angry mama first off before the dad came charging across the water from the bankside and proceeded to aggressively fly and shout at me for several metres! I was so scared but more than that sad for them that they have to protect so fiercely from animal predators and worse, humans. For we are indeed such a destructive awful species in all the bad that we do that is normalised as regular everyday behaviour (I’m talking consuming some animals, looking after others, and campaigning to save others, it’s all very hypocritical behaviour but this rant can be saved for another platform).

Back to the litter pick, luckily there wasn’t heaps of rubbish in the reeds but I was thinking little and often is best to keep on top of things and as things are starting to grow and become lush and bushy and in there will lurk plastic and metal and glass so the sooner it’s spotted and removed before the cow parsley and pretty yellow irises grow as tall as me! For once I managed to collect a manageable weight and carry my full Aldi Bag for Life with ease and comfort the mile to the end of the canal basin without huffing and puffing, blowing a runny nose, swapping hands too much. I left the towpath and opted to empty in the bin in a car park as there is less likelihood of the rubbish flying out and back into the canal or towpath or for some yucky people to get bored one day and chuck it all in the water just for fun or something to do. My bag for life was on its last legs and had suffered some injuries (rips and tears) on this pick and previously so i bid farewell to that too and hope I come across another bag for life carelessly littered so that I can use it for my picks! .

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past Events

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Start a LitterAction group

Here at CleanupUK, we want to help you to take LitterAction! Wherever you live in the UK, forming your own community litter-picking group will help to keep your community safer, more friendly and free of litter. It’s lots of fun too. Why not muck in and join us?

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