On trying to be a tidy kiwi

On the one hand, I've always tried my best to follow the rule that you should always put your rubbish in a rubbish bin (I think I've succeeded).

On the other hand, I always drew the line at litter that ended up around my property because it was put there by some lazy passerby, or the wind.

Since it's not my rubbish (nor that of my family members) why the hell should it be my job to dispose of it?

This of course is not a very constructive reaction, because unless that rubbish is helpfully blown off the property again by another gust of wind it means the rubbish just hangs around on the property or just on the other side of the fence. Not to mention the fact that the wind is an unreliable rubbish disposer.

So recently I've come around to the idea that maybe it's worth picking up other people's rubbish. Both TLM and I will pick up the odd bit of litter while out and about, and put it in a nearby bin - as long as it's not going to require  full-on rubber gloves, rubbish sack and the availability of hand washing facilities nearby, in which case it has to be an organised event.

Yesterday, I picked up three plastic bags on the way to the bus stop to go to the Green Expo. But I couldn't do anything about the bag stuck on the pohutukawa tree.