THE TAO OF THE MILLION MILE CLEAN-UP Clean-path fairy Roxanne Hawkins says litter-picking frees her mind...

TWO YEARS AGO, sick of seeing the same litter every day, and getting more and more depressed by it, I realised if I wanted to go for walks and not have to look at it, there was only one thing for it: I would have to clear up the litter myself!

So I put some bags in all my coat pockets and every time I was out walking I collected litter – picking until my bag was full and then leaving it at the side of the road to collect on my way back. Over the course of the next month I managed to clear all the litter along the threemile stretch of lane which was my regular daily walk. It was wonderful! I could finally just enjoy the beauty of nature around me instead!

It seemed to stay litter-free much longer after that, and that really motivated me to branch out to wherever I walked – and the more I collected litter on each walk, the better I felt about going walking. Whereas before I’d felt down when I saw it, now I felt proud to leave an area looking better, knowing it would have a lasting effect.

Some people say to me the relatively small amount I’m collecting is pointless in the face of the enormity of the problem – but I tell them I’m picking litter for me more than anything or anybody else. Which W is true, but if more of us do it it really will have a butterfly effect. There’s nothing better than seeing a footpath that is clean of litter and a verge that has just grass and wildflowers growing rather than tin cans and empty coffee cups. Picking as I pass is much better than grumbling and once you start doing it, carrying a bag for litter in your pocket becomes second nature. I find it really frees my mind. Instead of feeling cross about the litter I see – my thoughts are turned to positive, happy ones of the clean path behind me and the good things I see and experience on my walk! Try it!