Article Source: Paws On Plastic
Last Updated: 10 June 2020 11:34
Founded in Stonehaven in November 2018 by Primary School Teacher, Marion Montgomery, PAWS on PLASTIC, invites dog owners to pick up 2 pieces of plastic while out walking their beloved hounds.
The inspiration came from dogs who were always picking up plastic bottles. Once your dog is playing with a bottle, it’s your responsibility to put it in a bin. So many dog owners have been doing this without thinking about it. It’s like our dogs have been trying to tell us to do this for years and now, with the increasing awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution, we’re finally catching on!
The strength of Paws on Plastic is its simplicity, says Marion: “Dog owners are already out there walking their dogs every day. We see the litter. We have a spare bag in our pocket & it just takes a second to pick up a couple of pieces. No extra time or effort is required yet if we all do our own wee bit, with over 16,500 of us (on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) that’s over 66,000 pieces a day, (based on an average of 2 pieces on 2 daily walks) or 24 MILLION pieces a year although, as you will see from posts on Facebook, most people pick up more than 2 pieces each as it is rather addictive!”
With around 9 million dogs in the UK alone, imagine the impact if we all did our own small bit.
The instructions are simple: Members pick items up using a spare poo bag and take it home to empty, into a recycling bin if possible, saving the bag to use again, then post a lovely photo of theirdog on our “Paws on Plastic” FaceBook Page to celebrate their efforts and spread the word.
Despite the current situation, membership is rising at a fantastic rate as litter increases as Lockdown eases. We are welcoming members to our main Facebook group from all over the world...in fact from 80 countries, covering all continents except Antarctica!
We are delighted to collaborate with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Britain Tidy, 2 Minute Beach Clean and Surfers against Sewage and will be working closely together on campaigns focussed on litter and encouraging responsible dog ownership.
To join us, look for us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/344123186321129/
Twitter: @pawsonplastic or Instagram.
Members are responsible for keeping themselves & any accompanying companions safe. All pieces picked up are helping to reduce the amount of plastic ending up in the sea.
Is your dog trying to tell you something? Isn’t it time we all listened?
Although many of us stopped picking up litter in March due to contamination concerns, we are needed more than ever as things start to open up again. The increase in litter at this time only continues.
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