Last week a young man cycled home on one of those windy days. As he rode past me, a black plastic bag blew across his path like tumbleweed.
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He reached down, scooped it up triumphantly as I gave him a thumbs up. A lovely moment.
Taking responsibility is an act of love in a troubled world. Whatever else is going on, it is clear our environment is suffering. Australia has the fastest rate of wildlife extinction in the world thanks to cats and foxes, habitat destruction and pollution. Climate change adds another layer of strain. While farmers and communities stagger from droughts to floods more frequently now, governments fluff about.
In the wake of this ineptitude, nature shrinks. Yet there will be one less plastic bag in the Wollondily River thanks to that young man and he is not alone. Locally, many are starting to give back to the environment instead of being on the take.
People are planting bird and bee friendly gardens, creating wildlife corridors as sanctuary for creatures in troubled times. Cats are being kept inside from late afternoon until mid morning to protect our birds. A south Goulburn family has witnessed three generations of rosellas fledge from their home-made hollow fixed to a stink pipe.
We can’t do the work of government but we can play our part. If you want to build a hollow for native parrots in your garden come along to the free "Building a Hollow" demonstration run by TGG’s Backyard Biodiversity Interest Group at the Community Garden, Saturday, September 8, 10am-12pm.