Editorial: Time to pick up their acts

Photo / Stephen Parker

I didn't need the Lord of the Rings movies to tell me that New Zealand is a beautiful country.

I've seen a good chunk of it, and know first-hand we have some stunning scenery from the north of the north to the south of the south.

From a distance, at least.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful Week kicked off at the weekend and, while Rotorua has a proud history of being named the country's most beautiful city, there certainly are a lot of people who could try harder.

I joined my son's scout group on Sunday as they picked up litter on the block between Rotorua Boys' High School and the skatepark.

How much rubbish could there possibly be, I wondered beforehand. I had the answer a few hours later - bags and bags of it.

Here's what I learned about some of the people who walk along the land bordered by the skatepark, Amohau St, Pererika St and the high school's back driveway:

• RTDs: These alcoholic drinks are very popular with outdoor drinkers. Quite how their empty cans and bottles and the boxes they came in made their way so far off the beaten track I don't know, but I'd wager there were more of these things out of the local rubbish bins than in them. Other al fresco boozers managed to smash their beer bottles all over the show, including near the kids' playground and at a bus stop.

• STDs: If there's anywhere you don't want to find empty condom wrappers, it's a children's playground.

• Energy drinks: It can be a tiring walk from town to home - maybe that's why so many people feel they need energy drinks. Unfortunately the drinks don't provide enough energy to get the drinker to the rubbish bin.

• Loom bands: Some poor kid has lost a lot of these.

• Cigarette butts: There would have been more of these than any other item of rubbish. Plenty around the kids' playground, but really just everywhere. Bin it or take it with you.

It wouldn't take much of an effort to make a huge amount of difference. Why should someone else pick up your rubbish?