Earth Day 2019

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

I hope your day was nice and Earthy yesterday. Myself, I organised a litter pick. My initial plan was to go to the beach, like last year. However, it was Bank Holiday Monday yesterday and travelling to the beach would have been hellish, let alone actually being there. So I shifted my focus to something a little more local. I am very lucky in that the Shropshire Union Canal runs along the edge of my town. It's a gorgeous area which I have walked and run many times. I have even braved cycling along it, constantly fearing falling in of course.

As a lot of my family live locally, I put up an event on Facebook and left it open for them to join if they wanted. Everyone was eager join. And my step dad even volunteered their canoe and kayak! All in all, shaping up to be a good day.

We met at the stretch of the canal behind the cricket club and used my parents' house as a base camp. Sun screen applied, hats and sunnies on, canoe and kayak prepped; we were ready to go!

Everyone who helped 💚🌍🌎🌏 Photo by Caius

The first leg was heading north(ish). The first area was the small marina and a busier area. This was very well kept, which is always encouraging. Just beyond the first bridge was an abandoned bonfire party, complete with cider cans in the tree. Mum and Charis jumped right in with cleaning that mess, at one point Charis was very much in the hedge and not for the last time either.

Collecting litter with style and grace. Photo by Carole

Addy was pretty ninja at scooping up the rubbish from her kayak.

Getting those hard to reach spots.

The boats offered water support; fishing out little bits of plastic with hands or flicking them to the tow path when they were just that little bit out of reach. Everyone wanted a go in the canoe - even me! I opted to be rowed back to the starting point rather than actually row; I am not fantastic on boats. 

Me, right before getting out of the boat. Photo by Maisie

Some bits were hard to reach and required assistance.

Flying the flag with pride. Photo by Carole

Nets, ready! Photo by Carole

The second leg of the journey was heading southwards - after a lolly and cupcake break. We needed the energy boost. This end of the canal was more populated, as it is closer to the town centre and does not immediately lead out of town as the other direction does. Despite two of us wearing bin bags on our hips, we didn't get too many weird looks. A few people even congratulated our efforts, which was nice. 

Arthur and Dylan were less than impressed by this ineffectual sign.

Beautiful Shropshire

I take my work seriously. Photo by Carole

George braving the other side.

One of the nicest things about the day was the how little litter there actually was. I brought home six bags of rubbish, in varying states of fullness, which condensed down to one bin bag and filled my recycling. Most of the rubbish was cans and sweet wrappers. Unfortunately, there was the odd bag of dog poo, but the fact that I was able to recycle most of it was a bonus. Even so, still surpisingly little amounts of litter which is very encouraging. It's nice to see the folk who use the Shropshire Union Canal treat it with respect.

Highlights of the day include:

• Charis' head in the hedge,
• The roosting swan protecting his nest from us by mounting the kayak,
• All the baby ducks!
• Mum going rogue and climbing down a steep bank,
• Sending George onto the opposite bank to collect cans and watching his careful re-entry into the boat - followed by him yelling, "I'm king of the world!" for reasons.

Mumma going rogue.

Selfie with Carole and Tori. Photo by Carole.

All the rubbish.

Ready to sort.

Rubbish in all the right places.

I am grateful for my family and friends who supported my Earth Day efforts and I hope fun was had by all!

What did you get up to for Earth Day?

All the photos I took are up on Facebook in my Earth Day album; there are other collections on my Instagram, including highlights of the story.

Listening to: Aly & AJ