Jim

Date and time

Occurs: Weekly

Location

Landmark: Bus stop

Council: Canterbury Bankstown Council (NSW)

Site Type: Roadside

Event Info

Meeting Point: I filled in this section because it's compulsory but there's no meeting point, I work alone. All the same I'm happy to meet others doing the same in their neighbourhoods. I decided to register my site after seeing the benefit of actually being part of an Australia-wide team. I began with street cleanups as part of Cooks River Valley Assoc's Crabwalking program that folded some time ago. There's something nice about being part of a group, even if we never see each other. After all, a major part of our belonging is togetherness as a worldwide community and as part of the whole Natural World and of the Universe. Group work is for rivers, river banks, parks etc. I prefer getting plastics before they're washed down the drain and become muck. Working alone means I can pick my time spontaneously as I did today. BOM forecast 70% thunderstorms Thurs afternoon-evening, then Friday, then this morning it predicted today and tomorrow, so I did the job on the spur of the moment this afternoon. A particular advantage is getting to cigarette butts, they're not so apparent in the river. No surprise I come home tired after bending down for all the butts. I don't use a picker, I have an excellent 80cm tall broom and pan that I picked up years ago for $10 at a variety store. It's perfect for sweeping up plastic debris from car accidents, and other litter, after having been pulverised by traffic. I'm not doing "tidy towns", only recyclable paper and cardboard. Definitely not tissues and serviettes, they disintegrate in the river if touched (I did Cooks River cleanups at the Hursltone Park - Earlwood section in my inflatable till covid - police out this way were handing out fines for no good reason. The Commissioner eventually nullified the fines). I was already in Crabwalkers and have stayed with just that. I have 2 old holed bags, one inside the other at 90° to each other and clamped at the top. They work very well, the double thickness is good for getting a good handgrip without tearing. I came by a third bag that I use when the other pair is filled. Come the time I need a new bag I trust I can pick up another from Castlereagh St.

Site Supervisor: Jim Morris