TODAY the War on Litter campaign is looking at how activists are fighting troublesome litter in a popular tourist town – not just by picking up rubbish on the streets – but by engaging with the community to change people’s attitudes to today’s throwaway culture.

Operating as part of Transition Chepstow, various groups have been devising ways to clean up the town’s streets and get its residents to clean up their acts.

Paul Gowen started up the organisation’s litter group in 2007, with the support of Keep Wales Tidy.

He also serves on the committee for Chepstow’s Walkers are Welcome group, which encourages hikers to visit the town and trek along the four long-distance trails which begin there.

He says bringing tourism to Chepstow is one of his main reasons for tackling the town’s “unsightly” litter problem.

“It doesn’t give the right impression, having litter everywhere”, Mr Gowen said.

“The last thing people want to see is litter when they’re starting their walks.”

Mr Gowen and his colleagues, who are all volunteers, often visit the trails to conduct litter picks, and their work extends into the town’s neighbourhoods too.

He said changing people’s attitudes to litter is an important part of the group’s work.

“There isn’t always going to be someone else to pick it up, and it’s not always the council’s responsibility to do so”, he said.

Mr Gowen believes the recent problems of waste in the world’s oceans, highlighted by the BBC’s Blue Planet 2 programme earlier this year, should serve as a wake-up call to people that the problem extends beyond the immediate areas where litter is dropped.

“Together we can make a dent in it”, he said.

His group’s work is complemented by another, newer organisation – Plastic Free Chepstow.

The group wants to significantly reduce the amount of unnecessary single-use plastic being used in the town, and is reaching out to business owners to change what they offer customers.

Group co-ordinator, Graham Eele, says there isn’t an “obvious solution” how to stop people dropping litter, but doing so is “an essential part” of getting people to reduce their reliance on disposable materials like plastic, which are not just unsightly but also harmful to the environment.

“Plastic is useful and helpful, but we have to use it responsibly and refuse it when we can”, he said.

His group believes educating children today will improve the problem in the future, and has been working in partnership with local schools to turn unwanted plastic waste into sculptures.

The group are also planning a 2-3 minute litter pick with prizes for those who take part, and Mr Eele believes every small contribution can end up making a difference.

“It’s about changing the way we do things”, he said.

“The conversation about this is only just beginning – we’ve got a long way to go.”

l GET IN TOUCH

Throughout our War on Litter campaign, we want to feature every litter-picking hero and volunteer group that we can. As well as your stories, we want your pictures and videos too.

If you would like to be featured, or if you want to send us some pictures of problem areas that deserve attention, get in touch by emailing sam.ferguson@gwent-wales.co.uk or joining our dedicated Facebook group - South Wales Argus: War On Litter.