The Great Kayaker Clean Up - do your bit

Today is 1st April, but this is no April Fool. The Scottish Canoe Association is asking all canoeists and kayakers to take a bin bag out with them and bring it back full of someone else's rubbish.


The initiative is called Clear Water 2009. SCA board member Eddie Palmer said: “We are asking individual paddlers, clubs and outdoor centres to make an even greater effort than normal to pick up litter from one of their favourite stretches of water during the month of April. We are not stipulating a particular date, just anytime in April.”

Their press release continues: Whilst the SCA wishes to publicise the problems associated with litter, especially in and around water, we accept that mass litter picks are not the ultimate solution to this problem. From a recreational point of view we believe that everyone taking their recreation in the countryside should remove at least one piece of litter every time they go out. That simple act of everyone picking up a piece of litter every time would make a huge difference. Eventually, however, we need to really get tough on those who drop litter and leave their rubbish lying around the countryside.

I shot this video two years ago close to Mallaig.