George has a lot of bottle to help clean up rubbish
NOT content with being man’s best friend, local dog George is also a friend of the planet.
The seven-year-old black labrador is helping to clean up Nantymoel one bottle at a time.
Named after rugby international George North, the pooch had being doing his bit for his community for quite some time before his owner noticed.
Mary Hughes noticed that on his daily walks he would always pick up a plastic bottle and carry it in his mouth – once in the morning and once in the evening.
“It was only when I added it up that I realised it would add up to 730 bottles a year,” she said.
“From there I realised how much rubbish was along the route and decided to take a bag along with me. I pick up cans and bottles and to show the amount there is, I’m putting it all in my front garden.”
Mary, 62, is piling the rubbish in the garden of her terraced home on Waun Wen Terrace, Nantymoel, for the month to highlight the problem.
“I started doing it on March 1 and the council have said they’ll come along on April 1 to collect it.
“I’m quite lucky that my front garden is on the road so it’s getting a bit of attention.”
She says that while the idea started out as a bit of fun, it’s ultimately doing good for the community.
“It’s meant to be something light-hearted while also having a positive effect,” she said.
“It’s such a lovely place to live, but when it’s all piled up it does make you disappointed.
“It’s a habit for some isn’t it – I don’t think people consciously set out to drop rubbish but something has to make people think.”
George has created such a stir in the community that he now has his own social media page.
“I’m not usually a massive advocate for social media but if it’s bringing this to people’s attention then it’s a good thing,” says Mary.
“We joke that the world has Greta, we have George.”
To follow George’s efforts, search George The Litter Picker on Facebook.