By Liz Cyarto
This season of fake snow and financial pressures can be a bit challenging. While songs of hope and joy muzak their way through shops, hearts can feel heavy; but local author Louise Karch knows one way to find lightness. She picks up rubbish regularly.
‘As writers, we’re trained to spot what’s out of place and edit it out,’ says Karch. ‘When I followed my partner to Australia, I was especially homesick at the holidays. Picking up rubbish gave me a reason to get outside, smile at neighbours, and feel useful. A decade later, it’s a practice worth sharing.’
As a result, Karch has partnered with Simmers Hardware in Williamstown to offer ‘Join the Litterati Kits’ complete with bucket and tongs, for free. Owner Anthony Daniel says the initiative aligns with their values. ‘Our family has loved living and working in the West since 1854. We hope people will adopt a street, park or shoreline. It’s easy to go out on your own or with a friend, pick up rubbish and dispose of it in a council bin or at home. You’ll feel good doing good.’
There’s no registry, or formal commitment. People simply choose a space they care about and go as often as they like. According to Karch picking up litter also boosts mental health. ‘It gives you a D.O.S.E. of four happy hormones: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.’
Dopamine is the reward chemical that rises when you finish a task. Oxytocin is the love hormone that’s released when you connect with others. Getting 10 to 20 minutes of sunshine early in the morning boosts serotonin, a mood stabiliser, and depending on how fast you walk, you’ll release endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller.
It gets better. Researchers at the University of Exeter found that spending 120 minutes outside in natural environments at one time or in intervals improves physical and mental health. Plus, psychologists know that action-orientation, completing goals, even small ones, boosts resilience. ‘It’s a win-win-win,’ says Karch.
For people who want to track their litter haul, they can download the Litterati app to upload photos of rubbish. The app uses geolocation to track and add data to its Global Litter Database to advocate for litter reduction. If the pilot goes well, there are plans to partner with Clean Up Australia, local councils and more shops to roll out the programme more broadly.
Join The Litterati – Pick Up Kits at Simmers Paint & Hardware, 21 Ferguson St, Williamstown The Litterati app is downloadable from the iPhone App Store or Google Play
