Volunteer gardener, Geoffrey Grigg asking Bega locals to ‘Bin Your Butt’ Photo: Ian Campbell
A simple campaign to rid Bega’s Littleton Gardens of dirty cigarette butts is working, as spring takes hold and new growth claims its place.
Volunteer Gardener’s Geoffrey Grigg and Marshall Campbell erected handmade “Bin Your Butt” signs throughout the garden three weeks ago.
“We’ve seen an 80% reduction in the amount of cigarette butts littering the lawn and garden areas,” Geoffrey says.
“The number of cigarette butts being dropped or left behind was starting to get people down and make it hard to use and love this space, and cleaning it all up was a big part of our work.”
The recent addition of the Aboriginal ‘Biggah Garden’ prompted the action.
“This is Yuin Country and we need to treat it with respect,” Geoffrey says.
“The response from smokers has been very positive, no one has raised a concern or issue, once you point it out to people you start to see a change.”
The volunteer green thumbs would love to see the same response spread across the town.
“Everywhere you go you find cigarette butts, we just need to be more mindful of our actions,” Geoffrey says.
New signs will be displayed in the Garden shortly to update the message and maintain the momentum, and Council will soon add designated ‘but out’ bins to existing garbage bins.
With one problem solved the next is being tackled – bindies!
“It’s a big job, but we’ve been pulling them out by hand and trying to avoid the use of chemicals, this is a food garden after all,” he says.
A big crop of various edible greens are thriving in the spring sunshine throughout Littleton’s garden beds – lettuce, spinach, warrigal greens, lemon balm, and coriander, a donation from Bega Valley Seed Savers.
“People are invited to take a few leaves for lunch or dinner, that’s why the plants are here, just carefully pull leaves off from the base or stem so that the plant can keep growing,” Geoffrey says.
“As the weather warms up people will start to notice tomatoes and basil come through, and it won’t be long before we are eating strawberries.”
Geoffrey and Marshall tend to the garden each Wednesday and Thursday and invite people to stop for a chat.
“If you have any questions about the plants, how to pick them, how to cook with them, or if you have plants and time to donate, let us know,” Geoffrey says.
*Author is part-time media officer for Bega Valley Shire Council
Loading ...
