Making Places for People (and Seahorses) by Picking Up At Least 2000 Pieces of Litter

Pens of the Earth was set up to encourage Portsmouth writers to fight climate change by writing about a better, cleaner world. It reaches writers beyond Portsmouth and aims to encourage and inspire everyone to make a difference.

It is now raising funds to publish a first book of work which will promote positive steps to a healthier environment. This litter pick is in the spirit of Pens and will help it raise money to cover the costs of publishing and printing. The written and other contents are being donated by Pens contributors. Profits from the sale of the book will then be donated to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Trust's Solent Seagrass Restoration Project. What more could you ask?

Pens Friends (Christina and any other Pens Friends volunteers) will be picking up 2000 pieces of litter in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. There is no time limit- it's not one big litter pick- we'll keep going until we get to at least 2000 pieces.

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) says, "Litter dropped on the street doesn’t stay there. Rainwater and wind carries plastic waste into streams and rivers, and through drains. Drains lead to the ocean!" All kinds of litter dropped onto pavements and in the countryside end up in our beautiful seas.' Litter's a menace to aquatic and terrestial wildlife, as well as polluting natural environments. Particles (e.g. microplastics) are even finding their way into the food chain, including what we humans eat and drink. https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/how-does-plastic-end-ocean

If you ever guiltily walk past litter, and mean to pick it up but don't have the time or equipment (or maybe you can't face it- we quite understand), you could sponsor some of our pieces. At 10p a piece, we're happy to offset your guilt for donations from £2 to £200. A real bargain. (Note: Just Giving will take a small sum for its fees).

For Pens Friends' part, we can enjoy a frisson of smugness for every piece picked, and an opportunity to enjoy the beauties of the great outdoors (with some Litter Pick Surprises).

The British coastline has two seahorse species, the Spiny (or Long-Snouted) Seahorse (Hippocampus Guttulatus) and the Short-Snouted Seahorse ( Hippocampus Hippocampus ). Seahorses are adversely affected by polluted environments and the loss of their habitat.

Pic credits: Top of page: Seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus cropped for Just Giving sizing from wikimedia, Massimiliano De Martino, MondoMarino.net, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported; Second image Hippocampus Guttulatus wikimedia, author Mare per Sempre, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International