Concerned citizen shares before-and-after photos after taking neighborhood problem into own hands: 'Felt like power on my part'

One Glasgow resident decided that if trash was going to keep showing up in their neighborhood, they would show up for their neighborhood. A Reddit post in r/Glasgow, a subreddit for the Scottish city, demonstrates that cleaning up the environment can feel unexpectedly powerful when people swap online complaints for local action.

The thorough and narrative post centers on what began as a user's frustration with lots of plastic litter, to an initiative to get involved with the local government and clean up public spaces in their community. After previously venting online, the user decided to act by signing up for Glasgow City Council's Neighbourhood Improvement Volunteer scheme, which provided a litter picker, trash bags, and a high-visibility vest needed to get out and address the pollution problem. 

The Redditor wrote that they spent about 30 minutes cleaning a grassy area (once polluted with cups, plastic scraps, and packaging) before heading to work one morning.

The poster included before-and-after photos that show a dramatic contrast between a plastic-filled patch of green grass and an empty green square with two full trash bags alongside the litter picker used to collect their contents. 

The poster wrote that cleaning up "felt like power on my part," even though they were addressing someone else's mess. 

Interestingly, studies have found that hands-on interaction with green spaces can increase well-being and a sense of community, particularly in urban environments, according to the American Psychological Association.

The poster also mentioned they were accompanied by local duck companions during their clean-up, and, in general, local wildlife like ducks tend to bear the impacts of plastic pollution. One study conducted in Mexico found that ducks in polluted environments can carry high levels of microplastics and toxic metals in their bodies and feathers, which harm avian health.

A study published in Environmental Behavior found that litter can undermine the psychological benefits of the environment, and that, in addition to the environmental costs of litter, "there are also costs to people" like the lower mood the poster experienced when they first reacted to the litter.

Commenters echoed a strong sense of momentum and a desire to contribute to cleaning the city. 

One wrote, "Being the change you want to see. Well done and thank you." 

Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely 👍 Only in some areas 🫤 Not really 👎 I'm not sure 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Another added, "Good on you and that's a job well done. Hopefully your actions encourage others to take part in picking up the existing litter or at least not dropping it in the first place." 

The overall enthusiasm for the post exemplifies the research-backed idea that environmental stewardship is about restoring a shared sense of agency and responsibility for the places humans and animals call home.

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