Litter picker up thing

So I didn't get the litter-picker-up thing for my birthday. The BF said he believes it is the councils responsibility to provide me with one, so I will just keep trying. As a reminder, I really want the council to provide me a litter-picker up stick so that I can pick up trash on my way to work everyday.

And you know what is exciting? I AM NOT ALONE! Yesterday, on my way home from work I came across an elderly man picking up trash on Higher Cambridge Street. So I stopped to talk to him. He too is upset that the streets are filled with trash, he says there used to be more trash bins around but they're all gone. He had two bags filled with trash that he had picked up in just a block radius around his house. Picture below.

So first I was super excited that someone else in the city thinks it is disgusting. I have felt like I am the only one who cares! So that was reassuring. But second, he was actually doing something! Here I am saying I need my litter-stick to pick up trash, while this old man was hunched over picking it up with this hands! Well good one you man. Put me to shame. So fine council, I will do it with my hands, but how hard would it be to make our lives a little easier and send me a goddamn litter stick!

So far I have tried...

After getting fed up everyday on my way to work, I tried addressing the situation via the city outlets available.

I filled in the online form to request trash pick up via this site. Great, I thought! I can file a complaint and it will get sorted.

Well it didn't.

On June 20th, I emailed the council. I stated that as a council tax paying citizen I expect certain standards. However, I recognised that funds are allocated in all sorts of ways and maybe trash was not their priority. I requested they provide me with a trash-picking-up stick so that everyday on my way to work I can pick up trash.

I never heard back from them. Basically I am willing to provide free labor and beautify the city. I have asked the bf for a trash-picking-up stick for my birthday. We will see if it is granted next week.

On July 18th I got an email from the Manchester City Council from a list serve I had apparently signed up for. It told me about parks, childcare and changes to bin collections. It also said "Want to see a change in your community?" and had a link to an online survey available here. Awesome! I took it. Nothing happened.

On July 28th, I tweeted them. I received a response on August 1st.

Yes. Thank you for your reply..... I've ALREADY DONE THAT!

Trash... can't bear it anymore

This might be a bit of a morbid blog, but frankly I am tired of thinking and complaining about the trash in this city. I am sure my boyfriend is to because if I am not complaining to him about it, then I am yelling out his car window at people who throw litter out their car.

So, this blog is an outlet for me to share and talk about the ridiculously dirty city and hopefully stop antagonising the people around me.

I think this city is beautiful. Okay beautiful is a strong word. It is nice and interesting. Below is a picture I took of the Hilton hotel on the one sunny day we had in 2016. It's pretty right?

But from what I see, people don't seem to care about the city. They litter everywhere. So I am tired of just complaining. I have asked the Manchester City Council to clean up my neighbourhood, I offered to help if they would send me a trash-picking-up stick. I tweeted them. I responded to their online survey. I have never heard from them.

So, I asked the bf to get me a trash-picking-up stick for my birthday and I will pick up trash everyday as I walk to campus. I will blog here about the trash I see and the trash I collect off the streets. If the city won't help me then I will do it myself.