Apr 3, 2021
The Shuttlecock and the Litterpicker
Litterpicking, data collection and a touch of Tikkun Olam
Shuttlecock
left behind broken, a
reminder of some people’s fun here.
I pick it up, before
a bird does.
Litter. It’s literally everywhere. Amazing what people callously leave behind. In the streets, in parks. In nature. Places they enjoy. Have fun in. And then, ruin.
The litter left behind is not just uncomfortable for other humans using that space. Finding a shuttlecock is not that bad. Or a candy wrapper. It doesn’t hurt. But a piece of broken glass can seriously hurt.
It’s the birds and other animals that use the space too, make it even more enjoyable, that are most in danger of choking, or dying of hunger because they ate something that fills their stomachs but holds no nutritional value.
So, I pick up litter. On occasion. But that act alone does nothing. It’s like a drop of water on a hot plate. When I pick up some litter, I take a photo of it. Not just with the camera on my phone, but through a special app. An app that celebrates its 7th birthday this month. By using Litterati, you can take a photo, tag the trash and geolocate it. The data can be used by your municipality to take measures that are aimed at areas where the issue is the largest. It also helps in having conversations with big brands about the impact of their packaging. Data helps. So with every piece of litter that I take a snapshot of, I hope to contribute to a bigger solution. Is this an example of Tikkun Olam? Maybe. Most importantly, it helps me to teach my children to take care of the world they live in.
This story is a reply to the Weeds & Wildflowers prompt Tikkun Olam: what are you doing to help the environment, as written here:
