Our dogs give us so much, and we can learn so much from them – love, trust, companionship… picking up litter.
That’s what I learned from my old lad Murphy, a labrador-collie cross who loved nothing better than the crunch of a plastic bottle in his mouth. Many a ball was lost in walks to the park over his 14 years – ignored in favour of a plastic bottle of some sort.
Now, I don’t know about you, but once my dog had played with a discarded bottle for a while, it became like MY litter which I just couldn’t leave behind. So, Murphy started me down this road of popping other people’s bottles in the bin as we left the park.
Years after Murphy had gone, while on long-term sick leave from teaching, the idea came to me again as I walked my labrador Paddy past the local burn where people often went to feed the ducks. It was sad, noticing bits of litter, and even sadder to see the same pieces still lying there the next day with a few more bits added besides. Why didn’t I just pick it up?
And, so, Paws on Plastic was born – a simple idea, encouraging dog owners to pick up a few bits of litter in a spare dog poo bag while out walking their dogs. It only takes a minute, but with over 25,000 members and followers across social media now picking up every day on an average of two daily walks, that’s well over 36 million pieces of litter removed every year. Not bad at all.
Dog owners and animal lovers are a powerful force
We dog owners are a powerful force – there are over 12 million of us in the UK alone – and we’re out every day anyway, so it’s really not a big ask to do something that only takes a minute and protects animals, communities, and our precious environment.
So many animals are hurt by litter – cut paws, sickness from eating something that injures them, and so on. As animal lovers, wouldn’t dog owners do anything to protect them?
The bonus is that litter picking is hugely beneficial for mental health – we can see an immediate difference, which gives a real sense of achievement and empowerment in an age when we can often feel quite powerless.
This simple action also has the double effect of reducing the amount of litter dropped, as studies show fewer people actually drop litter when areas are clean. By keeping things tidy, you’re removing the easy excuse that “everyone does it”.
Having just celebrated Paws on Plastic’s fifth birthday on November 20, we would love to invite all dog owners to join us. We’re an enthusiastic, positive and welcoming community. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Sign up for updates on our website. Share our story with your friends, neighbours and local community. We have a huge impact on areas where there are lots of us picking up every day.
70 countries are now picking up litter daily
We may have started in Stonehaven here in north-east Scotland, where we have over 400 members in the town, but we’re very proud to have members and followers across over 70 countries worldwide. We’re united by the oceans on which litter travels, our love of dogs, and by our willingness to take a simple action to protect many animals.
Our movement became a charity in September 2021 with the charitable aims of protecting animals, communities and the environment by encouraging dog owners to pick up litter. We also educate on the consequences of littering, with visits to schools as well as youth and community groups.
We are proud that many of our members have gone on to form their own community litter picking groups
We kicked off 2023 with a Live Lesson session on Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Eco-Schools national network, with around 90 schools tuning in. This is something which we plan to expand through a volunteer programme.
We are proud that many of our members have gone on to form their own community litter picking groups, and actively look for ways to reduce their use of single-use plastics, which is mostly what we pick up.
It’s all thanks to Murphy
The ultimate aim of Paws on Plastic is to make picking up a few pieces of litter just a normal part of an everyday dog walk. The potential is huge. We are delighted to invite all Press and Journal readers to join us.
Our ask is simple – pick up a couple of pieces of litter on walks, then follow and tag Paws on Plastic in social media photos of your beautiful dogs with the litter collected. Encourage others to join us and make a difference, too. Not only will you get the “feel-good feeling”, you will see the increased impact as more people in your neighbourhood get involved.
A huge thanks to my old lad Murphy for giving us this idea. We really can learn so much from dogs. It might have taken a while, but it’s great that we have finally caught on to the idea.
Marion Montgomery is founder and chair of Paws on Plastic
Conversation