The hidden army of volunteers putting Britain’s politicians to shame by recycling the rubbish councils send straight to landfill
I love stories of direct action in communities. This article shows that at the most personal level we can all do something to contribute to cause which are important to us. It tells us;
More than 6,000 people all over the UK have, without fuss or fanfare, quietly set up similar collections in their own homes, workplaces, schools or community centres.
They spread the word locally, and accept waste from friends, families, colleagues and neighbours. Some buy bins and leave them at the top of their drives for strangers to chuck in their plastic. Others persuade local shops, supermarkets and even pubs to have drop-off containers there. One I speak to, Olivia McGuinnes in Derbyshire, has hundreds of crisp packets and baby food pouches currently stored in her utility room. “My husband’s not mad about it,” she admits.
Then, when these collections reach a certain quantity, they are sent off to a private company, called TerraCycle, to be recycled.
In return, the volunteers receive two things.
The first is a small donation to a charity of their choice. In George’s case, he’s earned £17,000 for a variety of good causes over six years.
The second is the knowledge they are doing their bit to save the planet from what David Attenborough – who knows a thing or two about this stuff – has called “the untold harm” of plastic waste. “I’m quite fond of the world,” muses George. “So it’s worth saving.”