An environmentalist has called for more to be done to tackle the problem of rubbish in and around Tring.
Laima Cox-Lipskis, the English representative of The World Foundation for Natural Science, was shocked to find a large amount of discarded debris on a walk in and around the town and surrounding countryside.
Laima, who lives on Manor Road, said: “We were quite surprised at the amount of waste on our streets, pathways, in hedges and on our waterways.
“We presumed that Tring had a reputation for being clean and tidy as it is in the Chiltern Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
“But even the Tring Memorial Garden was covered in rubbish.”
The World Foundation for Natural Science, which has its HQ in Washington DC, aims to “restore and heal the world through responsibility and commitment.”
Laima said: “We would like to see a step up in cleanliness in Tring, and also a plastic bag-free town.”
In a bid to educate children in how much we overuse plastics, Laima’s organisation is urging school heads to consider showing a ‘Bag It’ film to pupils. She said: “It’s a humorous film that looks at many issues with plastics and their effect on modern day society.”
Laima was also shocked by the amount of cigarette butts that were scattered in the town, branding them “toxic and disgusting.”.
She is appealing to councillors to consider investing in cigarette bins, which cost as little as £5.
She said: “We are surprised at the lack of bins for this. They could encourage people to be tidy.
“Together we can do it. We can make a beautiful Tring and Chilterns.”