Plastic Mountain

[Spade]

I recently lodged a discussion about plastic junk. After watching the BBC documentary on the telly about the desperate situation our seas are in, I really feel our hills are well on the way too. Lets all pick up and be mindful of our plastic waste. Yes I use plastic and now really mindful of how much we are all dependent on it. Including our fleeces, jackest rucksacks, bottles etc etc all made of plastic of some sort none the less. We can use it responsibly!! But please lets all do our bit, pick up where we see it on our beautiful hills and mountains and shame on the Bozo brain dumping at their A- - e. We don't want plastic mountains!!

[Arthurs Eat]

Good shout Spade. I invariably come back from every walk with someone else's rubbish.

[nigheandonn]

I was quite tempted to go and be a hillwomble with the Real 3 Peaks challenge next weekend, but it's the day of the Waverley's autumn trip to Loch Long, which I can't quite bring myself to miss.
(See https://www.thebmc.co.uk/real-3-peaks-challenge-2018 and facebook - nothing to do with me, I just think it's a good idea!)

I do generally come back with something, although banana skins are my especial abomination!

[gizzenbriggs]

Don't pick up banana skins. Its a slippery slope ...

[al78]

I accidentally was guilty of leaving some plastic behind when i walked the Minigaig earlier this year. I started off with three water bottles (the type designed to fit in a bicycle bottle cage), and finished with two. One had fallen out of my rucksac somewhere in the rough heather bashing sloggy bit between the summit of the pass and Glen Tromie.

[Robinho08]

The litter on the hills is quite frankly outrageous particularly in honey pot areas. it's getting worse. Plastic, banana skins, fag butts, wrappers etc. Folk can't even toilet right in the hills without leaving a mess, discarded toilet paper and I even seen a dumped sanitary towel next to the path in Glen Feshie.

Don't get the mentality at all.

[al78]

The litter on the hills is quite frankly outrageous particularly in honey pot areas. it's getting worse. Plastic, banana skins, fag butts, wrappers etc. Folk can't even toilet right in the hills without leaving a mess, discarded toilet paper and I even seen a dumped sanitary towel next to the path in Glen Feshie.

Don't get the mentality at all.

People think it is such a vast area that they can dump whatever and it will have no impact, and dumping it is more convenient than carrying it back home or to a litter bin. Secondly, if they can't be bothered to carry their rubbish until they find a bin, who is going to stop them dumping their litter?

It is the same old human condition of thinking it is fair game to externalise costs for the sake of some minor convenience, as long as they can get away with it without consequence. Sometimes I think there should be a law allowing you to punch someone repeatedly in the face who is committing antisocial behaviour, there might be a bit less crap behavoiur and attitudes if significant pain was a real consequence.

[yokehead]

A great call, to which I already contribute, but do draw the line at some things.

It is the same old human condition of thinking it is fair game to externalise costs for the sake of some minor convenience, as long as they can get away with it without consequence. Sometimes I think there should be a law allowing you to punch someone repeatedly in the face who is committing antisocial behaviour, there might be a bit less crap behavoiur and attitudes if significant pain was a real consequence.

That would be good! As an alternative, how about the introduction of a hill-climbing tax to pay for the services and infrastructure required to clear it up. It would, of course, be in addition to the tourist tax and inflated car parking charges

You have been warned......

[ceaser]

Guess I must be lucky , i see very little rubbish on my trips into the hills

[Hairy Goat]

The litter on the hills is quite frankly outrageous particularly in honey pot areas. it's getting worse. Plastic, banana skins, fag butts, wrappers etc. Folk can't even toilet right in the hills without leaving a mess, discarded toilet paper and I even seen a dumped sanitary towel next to the path in Glen Feshie.

Don't get the mentality at all.

Apologies for butting in, but I know what you guys mean. I've been walking the hills for near 40 year, the rubbish I see now is revolting. Nearly everywhere I go is strewn with bottles and crisp packs of some description. Only recently I even stood on a turd that some selfish turd couldn't be bothered to bury, and that was on a path by the wee dam below The Cobbler. The fun I had trying to scrape that off my boot ! It's as bad as standing on dog turds, it's like glue.

[Spade]

Appears as if this problem of rubbish is worse than ever. Even despite the media reports and the increased awareness the dimwitted and don't give a dam types in the general population are as disinterested as usual. Scoff your fast food and dump it out even faster.

[Giant Stoneater]

I suppose one way to offset the plastic revolution would be to go back to wearing wool garments and a lot of itching.
Every one of us while hillwalking contributes to contamination of the land as microfibres come off our gear while walking.
*Ministers rejected a ban in June 2019 on burying or incinerating clothes that could be recycled.
Another thing to remember is a lot of clothes material cannot be recycled due to mixed fibres,there is nothing that can separate them.
One washload of polyester clothes can release 700,000microplastic into the environment and the average water footprint for the production of a kilo of cotton is 10,000 to 20,000 litres which India and Pakistan are major suppliers but have high levels of water shortages.*
*From the Observer.

[Marty_JG]

I'd say we should all wear tight leather, all the time, but they want to ban cows too...

[Spade]

I appreciate the associated contribution we all make whether consciously or not. It's the dump the rubbish at your A--e behaviour thats a big issue. The "Throw it away" when really it's not " away" it's now somewhere else and a mess.

[rodderss]

Appears as if this problem of rubbish is worse than ever. Even despite the media reports and the increased awareness the dimwitted and don't give a dam types in the general population are as disinterested as usual. Scoff your fast food and dump it out even faster.

Yes and many don't seem to make it any further than a few metres from paths. Disgusting