The environmental group and charity Paws on Plastic now boasts 25,000 members in more than 80 countries.
But like many great inspirational tales, it all started with one person.
Despite the charity’s success and a recent Point of Light award with a visit to 10 Downing Street, founder Marion Montgomery, from Stonehaven, was quick to say she was not anything special.
“Sometimes, it just takes one person,” she said. “There’s nothing special about me, but it’s just one person deciding they want to do it.
“And then other people are encouraged to do that themselves. So that’s what it’s all about.”
Paws on Plastic encourages dog owners (not dogs) worldwide to use their daily walks to pick up a few bits of litter.
Aimed at being simple and empowering, it is a message that has spread not just through Aberdeenshire, but across six continents.
Marion said: “It’s amazing this success over it for such a simple idea. But I think that’s the beauty of it, that it just is so simple. Everybody can do it.”
How Paws on Plastic began
The former Gourdon Primary School teacher said the idea for the group was a little bit “random”.
Just before having to take long-term sick leave from work, Marion had joined a course run by the British Council about plastic pollution.
After she took time off, the 58-year-old found she had a lot of time at home.
A little limited due to low energy levels, one of the things Marion could still do was walk her fox red Labrador Paddy.
It was then Marion noticed the amount of litter sitting beside the burn near her home.
After seeing it lying there for several days, she began to pick a few bits up to stop it from going into the water.
“So that’s kind of how it started,” she added.
From 100 Facebook members to 17,000
From there, Marion started a Facebook group with all the dog owners she knew. The initial 100 added their friends who did the same, and in 2021 the group officially became a registered charity.
Out of the 17,000 from the Facebook group, there are now around 400 members in Stonehaven who take part in the monthly beach cleans on the first Saturday of each month.
Last year, Marion said they collected 260kg of rubbish. For their first sweep of 2024 they collected half of that (146kg) in one go thanks to the recent storms.
Since their community cleans began, Marion said the beach is definitely “noticeably cleaner”.
The business owner added: “But the beautiful thing is, it has a double effect because people are picking it up.
“Less litter actually gets dropped because studies show fewer people litter when streets are clean, so it has a double effect.”
‘Everybody can make a difference’
With all the single-use plastics being washed up on the beach, many of the people taking part in the cleans are trying to cut back on using them in their personal lives, joining in the campaign for a Plastic Free Stonehaven led by Marion.
Others have gone on to start their own litter-picking groups in other towns and cities, especially across Aberdeenshire, the east coast and Ayrshire, where Marion is originally from.
Choosing encouragement and positivity as fuel for the group’s mission, Marion often visits schools and community groups with Paddy to help spread awareness. Pupils have then gone on to start their own litter-picking schemes.
She said: “We’re very positive, supportive and encouraging, which I think is the best way to go with making people think and want to do the right thing.
“Just the fact that everybody can make a difference is very inspiring and it’s very motivating.
“It doesn’t have to be a huge amount that everyone picks up. But it’s just taking part, making that effort and making it a habit. I think that is the hope.
“It’s just treating the environment like our home, which it is. It’s realising that and taking responsibility and making it a good habit.”
Checking in on Rishi Sunak’s litter picking
Paws on Plastic’s influence was noted last March when Marion received a Point of Light award.
In a “lovely” letter noting her achievement, PM Rishi Sunak – who also has a fox red Labrador – said she had inspired him to start picking up litter on his walks.
When she was invited to a Scottish Culture event at 10 Downing Street last week, Marion said she had hoped to ask him if he had made any progress.
Unfortunately, he was unable to make the evening.
Marion joked: “I’m still to see evidence of it so I was hoping to ask that.”
The charity also works closely with environmental organisations such as Keep Scotland Beautiful, the Scottish SPCA, Surfers Against Sewage and the Marine Conservation Society.
However, the environmental impact is not the only benefit.
Marion said: “It’s hugely beneficial for mental health as well because you can see an immediate impact.
“It’s really empowering because you often think as individuals ‘what difference does it make? What difference can I make?’
“This is something really simple, but when you’re part of a huge community of people doing it, it then adds up to amazing statistics.
“If you only pick up two pieces of litter on two daily walks – which is the kind of average if you’ve got a dog – that’s 36 million pieces of litter removed in a year with 25,000 of us.
“Everyone involved with it is fantastic for taking the time and I’d just encourage everyone to check us out if you’re able.”
To find out more about Paws on Plastic, visit the website or Facebook page.
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