Gedling Climate Change Group are a collective of those bleddy do-good types. The environmentalists, of all ages and from all walks of life, are taking action in the hopes of making Nottingham a more eco-friendly city. We got out there with the litter-picking troop to see what they’re all abaht…
Change occurs when a bunch of people band together and take small steps towards a bigger goal. I don’t know about you lot, but I’ve got guilt knocking around when it comes to this planet we seem to have royally screwed up. It’s all about starting small though, innit?
Every month, Gedling Climate Change Group meet to clean the streets of Hoodtown. Anyone can do it; just put on a bright vest and off you pop.
While marching through Mapperley armed with pickers, we divided rubbish into recyclable and non-recyclable bags. “It’s the little things that make the big difference,” says Charlotte Dooley, who runs the group’s social media pages. “A lot of people aren’t sure what they’re allowed to put in their green bins, and because of that, a lot of stuff that could be recycled gets sent to a landfill.”
One big change the group have been trying to implement is preventing fish and chip shops from using excessive amounts of single-use plastics. “Some places have reacted really positively, and one even put up a photo of that whale that had swallowed loads of plastic bags,” Hooley says. “Some are less responsive, mainly because they bulk-buy all of their plastic material. It isn’t something you can fix immediately.”
The crew are keen not to force opinions or preach, though; they’re just popping round to their local for a chat. “It’s not that people aren’t bothered; it’s just that they don’t know,” Hooley continues. “Awareness is the key thing.”
As I said, it’s all about small changes; lots of individual actions, together, can make a positive difference. And Gedling Climate Change Group are doing exactly that.
If you fancy gerrin’ involved with an upcoming litter pick, or would like to attend a future climate change meeting, visit the Gedling Climate Change Group Facebook page.
Gedling Climate Change Group on Facebook
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