Generation Alpha[1] has it in the bag! Children make up a large percentage of the park’s monthly litter-picking collective so we asked them to put down their gloves and pickers for a moment and tell us why they were there.
“I like it! It’s fun!” says Jessie, aged six. “It’s like a treasure hunt or an Easter egg hunt but it also makes me feel happy for the world.”
“I like the litter-pick stick best,” says Noah, aged 8. He even has his own ‘pick-up stick’ that he brings from home to use. Bella, aged 12, agrees that it is a great thing to do. “At first, I didn’t think it would be as fun as it is,” she said. “I’m not usually outside, so it’s nice to get out in the sun and help the environment. Plus I found 51p!”
“Why does it make you ‘feel happy for the world’?” we asked Jessie. “We get the rubbish out of the park so that people don’t hurt themselves,” she said. “We put it in the bin. It’s not good to have it here. We have to be very careful as there might even be broken glass or needles! Although I need to tell my dad if I see those and he would pick it up for me. We mustn’t touch those.”
“I also take any insects off the litter so that I don’t harm them either”, she continues. “Yes!” says Noah. “Recently our cat was hurt by some rubbish, we had to take it to the vet. We are helping the environment, wildlife can eat plastic bags and they get stuck in their throats. It’s good to do a good deed.”
“Sometimes my friends come with me,” says Jessie, “and that’s more fun”. “I like it too when there is a larger group” agrees Bella. “When there are not many people here, it feels like not many people care and that’s a bit sad. When we have a big group then it feels like lots of people care and that’s great.”
“What do you find when you litter pick?”, we asked Bella. “Mostly plastic bags, cans, wrappers and take away boxes.” “I found fireworks this month,” Noah says proudly! “Big ones.”
Come along and join Jessie, Noah, and Bella at the next monthly Cheney Row park litter pick on 8 December. A feel-good activity for all the family.
[1] https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/generation-alpha-after-gen-z_us_5d420ef4e4b0aca341181574
