A load of rubbish

[Robin Ellis]

Brian's video on Midway was extremely thought provoking. But the problem is not just people throwing rubbish into the sea.
The real problem is people who do not think about the consequences of their actions, who "care about the planet" but do not put themselves out in any way to actually help the planet.

The photo attached to this post is a picture of the rubbish that I cleaned from the irrigation water inlet to my farm in just TWO HOURS.
basura.jpg
I live in a beautiful part of the world that is infested with tourists, both national and foreign. These people throw away their rubbish in the mountain lakes, in the rivers and the irrigation canals. All this water is used to irrigate our farms, the surplus eventually ending up in the sea.

The vast majority of the rubbish I have to clean out of my irrigation ditches consists of plastic bags, old cigarette lighters, plastic fizzy drink bottles, cigarette packets, uneaten food, empty tins, car tyres and used disposable nappies.
"Out of sight, out of mind" is the mentality. Shame that I never find any returnable beer bottles!
We have had to construct a "filter" of tree branches to try to catch the bulk of the rubbish. Not only does this block up my irrigation ditches it also threatens the horses who can eat it.

As I said, that picture is 2 hours worth of rubbish in the canal to my farm. Imagine how much rubbish pours past in a year!! (I worked out that if every farm in our area - about the size of the county of Hertfordshire - received the same amount of rubbish, there would be around 80 tons a day being thrown away).

And please do not bring up the subject of picnics - it is even worse!

That video of Brian's is excellent and if anyone can spread the message "take it home with you", then thank you. Please feel free to pass on this photo and / or this text if it will help.

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Robin
I live in a small villiage (Blackheath) in the beautiful Blue Mountains here in Aussie!
There are always so many Tourists around the Villiage and the Lookouts from here to Katoomba,a very very popular place for them!
And as you mention although they love the Scenery and attractions here,with so many Thousands of Visitors each Year there is always a big cleanup,underway!
I must say though that many of the Chinese Tourists are by far the most well behaved as far as Rubbish Dropping is concerned,possible because in China there is so much pollution going on!
They seem to keep to the general rules of using the Bins provided! Thank Goodness!
But there are still many that will just stand there in full view of everyone and chuck their wrappings etc over the Cliff Faces! I get so mad when i see this happening,and have on several occasions actually confronted these sorts!
Have had a few run ins about it,but generally get the upper hand with other bystanders jumping in to assist !
There are stll many good uns around!
Cheers

[Robin Ellis]

Thanks for the reply, Doc. I wish we had Chinese tourists! You are probably right, they have so much pollution they have learnt to take care.

Our tourists are locals as well as Europeans and Americans. We have no casinos, no night life, just 'unspoilt' countryside which they come to see and "be one with". That is why the rubbish infuriates me.
We don't have rubbish bins as this is not a national park, or a small sightseeing area. We are 1000s of square miles of desert, mountains and scrubland interspersed with "oasis" where the farms can survive.

But glad it is not just us who have problems with tourists.

Cheers.

[Lou Barron]

We have the same problem in NZ its not only rubbish but human waste to we have some of the most beautiful country side in the world but they are getting tough on them now

[happy daze john in oz]

Here in Sunbury where I live there was a time when we had rubbish bins around the town, then came 9/11 and just like London and other cities they were removed, could become hiding places for bombs. It took almost 8 years of lobbying by the residents before we got some back. But despite that eveywhere you look there are Coke cans and Golden Arches wrappings. Most of our national parks have large signs, TAKE YOUR RUBBISH HOME.
It is slowly begining to take effect, but I have found it easier not to take the mother in law with us when we go out.

[Keith Tindell]

Hi Lou, You surprise me with your experience of rubbish dumped, i spent several weeks touring South and North island a couple of years ago (2007), and i was struck with how clean and tidy everywhere was, in fact while filling the car at a filling station , two German tourists stated that thought it was cleaner than Germany, which many believe is the cleanest in Europe. We did notice that were rumblings from the local papers etc of rubbish being left by touring campers. It will be a great shame if , as it is here in Uk, that touring vans can only stop at registered camping sites, because of a few louts. You live in a lovely country, one of my favourites, regards KT

[Ivan Cloherty]

..I wish we had Chinese tourists!.

Robin, be careful what you wish for, you may find your farm bought from underneath you, the Chinese are buying up the world

[John Pruden]

i know that years ago the Mersey was one of the dirtiest rivers around the country now we have salmon and other species of fish living in it apart from the mud banks up river the water would be crystal clear.times gone by tons of dunnage would float up every tide and lumps of oil but its a hell of a lot cleaner plastic is the worst rubbish that floats in now.jp

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates "Rubbish" is everywhere In Cardiff after every Rugby match The City of Cardiff litter workers are on extra overtime, the whole city centre is cleaned by an army of workers , But who pays? not the welsh rugby but all us rate payers. The river Taff was polluted for many years due to the coal mines and heavy industry but its now full of salmon, and sea trout at the cost of many hundred of lost jobs? and most of our beeches now have the blue flag status clean and free from any polutants/ sewrage e.t.c but {no factory jobs} No Rubbish means no jobs in Wales is that a good thing?????

[alf corbyn]

hi louis. i used to drive down from merthyr through pontypryd to cardiff alongside the river taff. the water was just black, no life in it at all. nice to hear it is now alive and full of fish.