Everyone must take responsibility for waste generation

The growing levels of rubbish created by our society should be a cause for concern. At times it can seem like we are drowning in a sea of human made waste. The land, the seas nothing, it seems, is off limits. Along the south coast recently the sea was polluted with millions of plastic sewage buds, leaked from a Southern Water wastewater plant in Eastbourne. The clean up goes on, much of it done by a volunteer army of concerned citizens. The damage to human and wildlife has yet to be finally assessed. On land, there are increasing instances of flying tipping. This can be small amounts of rubbish or huge dumps, involving vehicles and industrial sized operations. The clear up takes time and can run into the millions of pounds. Local councils are often left to deal with these situations, pursuing the perpetrators and ensuring clear up. At local level it is amazing to behold the amount of rubbish generated. We have run a volunteer councillor led litter pick, once a month, in central Wanstead, for the past eight years. Many bags are filled every time, with all sorts of waste. These bags are added to the many collected by council street cleaners. You may have seen them awaiting collection on the high street. There are other litter picks conducted by Friends of Wanstead Park in and around the park. The work sessions done by the River Roding Trust see literally tonnes of rubbish pulled out of the river. Why do people think it is ok to choke up our waterways in this way? There have also been positive changes made to the collection of rubbish in Redbridge. The roll out of wheelie bins across the borough, then more recently food waste collection. Recycling levels are increasing. But though much is going on to address the problem of disposal, there does also need to be a fundamental change in everyone's attitude towards the creation of waste in the first place. So, we all need to live in a far more sustainable way, that involves treading much more lightly on the earth. Everyone needs to be more aware and create less waste. This is in addition to dealing responsibly with the rubbish we do create. It is amazing to see the amount of rubbish created by one household. Can this not be reduced? Yes, recycle, put everything in the right containers but fundamentally stop creating the waste in the first place. The illegal dumping of rubbish has to stop. Councils across the land seek to prosecute people who act in this irresponsible way. There is much being done but far more is needed to address the waste mountains being created. Everyone has to take responsibility, not just for the clear up but for creating so much waste in the first place. The earth is a finite resource, humankind cannot just continue consuming and dumping in this nihilistic way. The earth is choking. We all need to change the way in which we live, tread more lightly on the earth and live more sustainably for the common good of all. * Next Wanstead litter pick - 10 am on 21 Feb at Woodbine Place. Friends of Wanstead Park litter picks - 11am on second Sunday of the month - meet at the Temple Report fly tips via Redbridge council website - www.redbridge.gov.uk