,,,We have just over a decade to fix this. If it can even be fixed. We might not be able to avoid all the horrible consequences of decades of wilful negligence and destruction, but... If the right people listen. If the right people ACT. We can slow the changes. Some habitats might be saved. Fewer people and animals will suffer. But it has to be now.
Now.
[[NOW]]Your eyes flash open. You had the dream again. The one where you're holding a bird in the palm of your hand. The one where the bird turns to sand, melting away between your fingers no matter how hard you try to hold on.
Now you're lying in bed, ten minutes before your alarm is due to go off.
[[Snooze a bit longer]]
[[Check your phone]]
[[Get out of bed]]You try to drift off again, hoping for a few precious minutes of sleep. As soon as you close your eyes, a voice in your head shouts 'Get up, get up. Do something!'
You groan and open your eyes. You won't be getting any more peace today.
[[Check your phone]]
[[Get out of bed]] The glare from the screen hurts your eyes as you try to focus on the day's headlines. More forest fires. Another alarming climate study. More investment in fracking.
You can't bear it, so you put your phone down.
[[Get out of bed]] There's no point putting it off any longer. You might as well face the day.
You wander into the kitchen. What's on the menu for breakfast?
[[Cereal with oat milk]]
[[Toast and jam]]
[[A soft-boiled egg and soldiers]](set: $chosenBreakfast to "cereal")You fill your bowl with organic bran flakes and slosh oat milk over them. You really thought you'd miss cow's milk on your breakfast, but you were pleasantly surprised by the flavour of the oat milk when you made the change a couple of years back. You'd never consider going back to dairy now.
You take your bowl over to the dining table and sit down.
[[You look out of the window]](set: $chosenBreakfast to "toast")You slather dairy-free butter onto the toast and add a satisfying blob of raspberry jam.
You're already looking forward to crunching into the thick-cut toast, even though you'll definitely end up with jam on your chin.
Taking your plate over to the dining table, you sit down.
[[You look out of the window]] Mmm. You could really go for an egg right now. But you've already had one egg this week, which is all you allow yourself in your planet-friendly food budget. Better choose something else.
[[Cereal with oat milk]]
[[Toast and jam]] Your garden may be tiny, but you can't help but feel proud of its unruliness. Most of the grass comes up to your waist, and it's spattered with colour from the poppies, daisies and cornflowers. There's even more life out there than last year.
[[Not like your neighbour's garden]]He was out there mowing his lawn again last night. For the second time this week. The man must be obsessed. Or is he just one of the millions who think a neat and tidy lawn is a harmless expression of man's control over the elements?
[[You sigh and eat your breakfast]](if: $chosenBreakfast is "cereal")[Slurping the oat milk from your bowl,](else:)[Wiping stray crumbs from the corners of your mouth,] you think about your plan for the day.
What should your top priority be?
[[Writing that blog post]]
[[Repairing your favourite jeans]]You've been meaning to write a post about your wildflowers for the last few days. Sitting at the computer screen, all you can think about is your neighbour and his immaculate lawn. It can't be healthy to get this angry about someone doing something considered to be normal or even desirable by the majority of society. But... He must care about nature too, right?
You write an angry paragraph before deleting it. Time for plan B.
[[Go for a walk]]You set out your sewing things and get to work. After pricking yourself with the needle for the third time, you realise your hands are shaking. Sewing usually calms you down, but no amount of stitching and snipping is going to subdue the silent rage bubbling inside you. Maybe some fresh air will do the trick.
[[Go for a walk]] You stroll through your neighbourhood towards the park, hoping a few minutes of watching the ducks bob around on the pond will help you calm down.
You try not to look at the parked cars that line the kerb, overflowing from the drives and garages of your neighbours.
[[It's not easy]]Crossing the road, you nearly twist your ankle thanks to a cola bottle that's been chucked into the gutter. You swear quietly and rub your ankle.
[[Pick up the bottle]]
[[Limp away]]You pluck the offending object from the ground and look around for a bin. There are none to be seen, so you limp onwards to the park. Surely there'll be loads of bins there.
[[Enter the park]]You leave the offending object lying there, and instead turn back towards home. It clearly isn't your day. You're better off staying indoors.
[[Limp home->Head for home]]As you'd hoped, there are a couple of large bins by the park gate. Unfortunately, they're already overflowing with rubbish. Still clutching the bottle in your hand, you walk on, determined to enjoy the fresh air.
[[Take a stroll]]The park isn't large, but it's practically the only green space within walking distance of home. Someone has gone to the trouble of creating a flowering plant display around the fountain in the middle of the park. You haven't seen the fountain in action since it was vandalised last winter.
There are too many bored people around here. And you'd be one of them, if you weren't so busy worrying about the end of the world.
Finally, you find a bin with enough free space to jam the bottle into it.
[[Head for home]]On your way back, you counted three empty crisp packets, two squashed cans and a plastic bag stuck in a tree. Has it always been so filthy round here?
You switch on the radio while you busy yourself making a simple lunch of jam sandwiches. You enjoy the company of the droning voices, but you don't usually listen that closely.
Today, something grabs your attention.
[["A litter-picking local hero has transformed his community."]]As you munch on your sandwiches, you listen to the reporter telling the story of a litter-picking group in Bristol, where local volunteers take to the water in kajaks and canoes to clear the harbour of floating waste. The reporter mentions how similar groups are popping up all over the country.
Just knowing there are some like-minded souls out there gives you enough encouragement to face the day.
[[Tidy the kitchen]]Once you've cleared away the debris from lunch, you settle down for the afternoon, sharing your new blog post online and fixing that hole in your jeans. It's a while since you've felt so productive.
You've definitely earned a break, so you put the TV on and sit down with a cup of tea (organic, de-caf, plastic-free).
[[Watch the news]]
[[Watch a soap opera]]
[[Watch a game show]]You catch the tail end of a story about a politician denying they told a lie, even though they have said the same lie live on television many times.
The newsreader's expression switches from barely disguised contempt to barely contained sadness. "Fires are still raging in the forests of California as residents of six further villages are evacuated. There is no sign of the strong winds dying down, and local fire crews are nearing exhaustion from working around the clock for the last week."
[[Switch off the TV->Switch off the TV 1]]You've always relied on your favourite Australian soap opera for a bit of escapism.
At first, it seems like today's episode will be solely about a rebellious teenager being falsely accused of stealing a surfboard, but the tone suddenly changes when someone runs into the principle's office shouting about the diner being swept away by a huge wave.
[[Switch off the TV->Switch off the TV 2]]It's a repeat, but you don't mind. It's not as though you can remember the answers or the winner from the first time you saw it. You get lost in cosy inanity of it all, until the presenter mentions something about what year it is. Or what year it was when the episode was filmed, rather.
[[Switch off the TV->Switch off the TV 3]]Oh God. You try to imagine how you would feel if your home was about to be destroyed. It's too much.
You need some fresh air again. But this time, you're going to make your walk a bit more useful.
[[Hit the streets]]You dig your scruffy work gloves out of a box in the shed and stuff your pockets with a couple of bin bags. You're ready.
[[Let's pick some litter]]Oh God. If the horrors of climate change have reached all the way to Summer Bay, there really is nowhere left to hide.
Feeling as though the walls of your tiny living room are moving even closer, you know what you have to do.
[[Hit the streets]]2012. If only you'd been as aware of the climate crisis back then as you are now. Imagine the changes you could have made. Imagine how much progress the whole world could have made if we'd started years ago.
You can't turn back time, but there is one thing you can do. Right now.
[[Hit the streets]] Starting at the end of your street, you set yourself the target of tidying all the way to the other end. The only tricky bit is deciding what to pick up first.
[[Pick up a cigarette butt]]
[[Pick up a fast food wrapper]]
[[Pick up a squashed beer can]]At first, you bend down to grab each cigarette end from the ground, but your back soon gets tired. Instead, you turn each cigarette butt into an opportunity to take a deep squat. Might as well get a workout while you're at it.
[[Pick up a broken lighter]]
[[Pick up an empty crisp packet]]
[[Pick up a shard of glass bottle]]You recognise the cheerful yellow logo on the battered paper bag. Something tells you you're going to find a lot more waste from this particular culprit, even though the nearest outlet is more than a mile away.
[[Pick up an empty crisp packet]]
[[Pick up a shard of glass bottle]]
[[Pick up a suspicious-looking little bag]]Hmm. This should go into the recycling. Next time you do this, you'll have to bring a container for separating the waste. At least it's better off in the bin than on the pavement.
[[Pick up a shard of glass bottle]]
[[Pick up an empty crisp packet]]
[[Pick up another beer can]]At least, you presume it's broken. Or empty. Such a waste. You throw it in your bin bag and carry on up the street, stopping every couple of yards to snatch a piece of rubbish from the pavement or the edge of the road.
[[Finish off the street]]You reach down to grab the packet, but it's not as empty as it looks. A surprising amount of cold, grey water pours out of it, drenching your glove. Yuck. Just was well the future of the planet is at stake, or you'd be sorely tempted to give up and go home.
[[Finish off the street]] As you carefully gather up as much as possible of the shattered bottle, you wonder who on Earth has been having a party outside your house. You've never noticed anyone wandering around clutching a beer bottle before. But then, you do tend to be tucked up in bed by 10pm.
[[Finish off the street]] Ah yes. Just as you thought. It's a little bag of dog poo. Neatly collected by the dog's owner (you presume) and then... what? Thrown back onto the ground? Such a bizarre thing to do. You sigh and fling the offending item into your quickly filling bin bag.
[[Finish off the street]] Another one? And another. You wonder who on Earth has been having a party outside your house. You've never noticed anyone wandering around clutching a beer before. But then, you do tend to be tucked up in bed by 10pm.
[[Finish off the street]] As you inch your way towards the junction with the main road, a few people pass you by. One or two of them just stare, while others pretend they haven't seen you. Do they feel guilty, or think you might be crazy? You know the most likely answer is that they are too lost in their own thoughts to even register your presence. You can sympathise with that.
A woman walking with a young girl stops beside you.
[[Say hello]]"Er, hi," you say, standing up slowly from your seventieth squat of the day.
"Hello," says the woman. "I couldn't help noticing what you're doing. It's very sweet of you."
You're not quite sure what to say. "Oh! Yes, well, it was all just getting on my nerves, so I thought I might as well do something about it."
The woman smiles and looks down at the girl. "Say thank you to the kind lady, Ruby." The girl blushes slightly and looks at her feet. "Thank you," she mumbles.
[[You smile]]"You're very welcome. It's the least I can do after my generation and the ones before it have messed the planet up so much. Sorry about that."
The girl looks you in the eyes for the first time. She might think you're crazy, but at least she doesn't look embarrassed anymore. She turns to her mother. "Mum, did you mess up the planet?"
"Er, well, no, of course not! Or...perhaps a little. But don't worry, we're all fixing it now. Like this //nice// lady." Her smile is now lacking its earlier warmth as she nods at you and drags her daughter away.
[[Time to call it a day]]Your bin bag bulging, you heave it home and chuck it into your own wheelie bin.
That night, you fall asleep more quickly than you have for months. That can't just have been down to the extra exercise.
[[Keep up the good work]]You don't know how you manage to find the energy after a long day at work, but on Monday evening you're out with a bin bag again. This time, you cover the ground between home and the park, stopping halfway through to change bags.
By the end of the week, your neighbourhood is practically spotless and your wheelie bin is threatening to overflow. You're looking forward to the weekend.
[[Have a lie-in]]
[[Wake up early]]You deserve a rest, so on Saturday you manage to sleep in until 9am. Your dreams were untroubled and there's a pleasant ache in your thighs from all that squatting and lifting.
After a simple breakfast, you decide to take a little walk and admire the fruits of your labour.
[[Head towards the park]]
[[Head towards the town centre]]Without setting an alarm, you wake up feeling rested and refreshed at 6am. You listen to the birdsong outside your window for a couple of minutes, before getting up and treating yourself to half an hour of yoga in the garden.
After a simple breakfast, you decide to take a little walk and admire the fruits of your labour.
[[Head towards the park]]
[[Head towards the town centre]]You swell with pride at the lack of rubbish on your street. Not a crisp packet in sight. Sure, there are a few new cigarette butts, but that's only to be expected.
Turning the corner and crossing the road that leads to the park, something white catches your eye. A polystyrene box, skidding along the pavement in the breeze.
[[And it's not alone]]Even though you spent so much time tidying up during the last week, it doesn't take you long to walk beyond your cleaned streets. The difference is stark, and you're itching to pick something up.
This was supposed to be a refreshing walk, but the closer you get to the centre of town, the stronger your queasiness becomes.
[[You shouldn't have come this way]]Half a dozen similar boxes in various shades of white, beige and yellow are visible from where you stand. A squashed pizza box lies in the middle of the road, and a couple of seagulls are tucking into a brunch of chips, kebab and chicken wings at the entrance to the park.
All that effort. All that time. And look at the state of the place now!
[[What happened?]]As you walk into the filthy park, the good mood you had on waking becomes a distant memory. You can't enjoy the blooms of the rose beds or the chirps of the plump sparrows on the grass when you're surrounded by the carnage of what appears to have been some sort of junk food orgy.
You slump down onto a bench, trying to take it all in. A young couple is coming towards you, pushing a little boy on his shiny red tricycle. You hope your expression doesn't betray your bitter disappointment and burning frustration.
[[Say hello->Say hello 2]](set: $metJenCaz to true)"Morning," you say, as brightly as you can manage.
The taller of the two women smiles at you. "Good morning. Isn't it a lovely day?"
[["Not really, no."]]
[["Er, yes. Lovely."]]"Not really, no." So much for hiding your disappointment. "I mean, the weather is nice, but..." You gesture around you at the debris on the ground. "It's a bit depressing."
The taller woman raises her eyebrows in surprise, but the shorter woman gives you an understanding smile. "Oh, don't worry. It's always like this on weekend mornings. Everyone seems to come through the park on their way home from a big night out."
"I see. I guess you'd have to be very drunk and tired to choose to eat some of this stuff. No wonder they struggle to use a bin."
[[The taller woman laughs]]The taller woman frowns. "Hmm. That didn't sound very convincing. Are you okay?"
You're touched by what appears to be genuine concern from a total stranger. You owe them the truth. "I'm just finding all this litter a bit depressing. I know there are plenty of bigger issues to worry about, but I can't help but notice this one when it's blowing around my feet."
[[The shorter woman smiles in understanding]]"Oh, we used to be just as bad. Those kebabs always seemed like an amazing idea at 3am. Luckily for everyone, our days of big nights out are behind us." She pats the shoulder of the little boy. "For a few years, anyway."
You smile grimly. "I guess I'll just have to come back with my bin bag, then."
[["Oh, are you coming to the litter pick?"]]The shorter woman's eyes light up. "You really should. It's tomorrow at 2pm, and we meet right here."
"I haven't heard anything about it. Who do you mean by 'we'?"
"It's organised by a couple who call themselves 'Waste Warriors'," replies the taller woman. "But they're very sweet. We meet once a month and there's usually a decent turnout."
You feel your despair start to subside. "Waste Warriors," you repeat. "I like the sound of that."
[[Both women smile broadly]]"Lovely. We'll see you tomorrow then," says the taller woman. "I'm Jen, and this is Caz."
"And this little waste warrior is Clark," says Caz, patting Clark's rainbow-striped cycle helmet.
You can't help but grin. "It's genuinely lovely to meet you all. I'm Beth. See you tomorrow!"
You say your farewells and watch them stroll further into the park before you turn towards home. Waste Warriors.
[[You're already looking forward to tomorrow]]You spend Sunday morning in the garden. If you were like your neighbour, you'd be pruning and weeding and spraying, but your approach is much more laissez faire. As long as there's room enough for you to sit or do a bit of yoga, you're happy to let the garden run wild.
Your lack of effort is frequently rewarded by visits from birds, squirrels and even hedgehogs.
[[Is that the time?]]"Oh, don't worry. It's always like this on weekend mornings. Everyone seems to come through the park on their way home from a big night out."
"I see. I guess you'd have to be very drunk and tired to choose to eat some of this stuff. No wonder they struggle to use a bin."
[[The taller woman laughs]]Just as you're about to turn back towards home and a restorative cup of tea, you hear raised voices coming from round the next corner, followed by a crash and more shouting.
You creep forwards and peer around the corner, keeping close to the red brickwork of a terraced house.
[[Someone might be in trouble]]Or they might just be causing trouble. Five lads who can't be much older than 18 are gathered round an upturned bin. Four of them are laughing and kicking rubbish around the pavement, while the fifth stands still, staring at the mess.
[[Confront them]]
[[Stay hidden]](set: $confrontedBoys to true)Your rage boils over, temporarily relieving you of your common sense. Stepping out from your hiding place, you call out to the group.
"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing?" You shake your fist in their direction, just like your next-door neighbour would if someone stepped on his precious lawn. "Do you know how long it'll take to clear all that up?"
[[The boys look startled]](set: $confrontedBoys to false)You're furious, but too sensible (or too scared) to have a go at a gang of strangers. Don't they all carry knives these days? You can't be too careful.
As you watch them stomp on polystyrene food boxes and kick cans to each other, your eyes are drawn to the quiet boy. He still hasn't joined in, but his friends aren't paying him any attention.
Eventually, the group tires of the mess and starts walking away, down the high street. Before they disappear from view, you see the quiet boy say something to one of this friends.
[[Then he turns and walks back towards you]]At first.
The one wearing a grubby red hoody looks contrite. "Oh gosh, missus. I didn't think about that at all. I'm really sorry!" He looks at you with pleading eyes, before a cruel sneer splits his face. He neatly kicks a cola can in your direction, and it bounces off your shoulder.
That seems to be the cue for the rest of the group to cheer loudly.
[[That hurt]]It hurt your pride, at least. What were you thinking? As you wrestle to stop yourself aiming a stream of insults at the boys, they take your silence as an end to the matter and start walking away down the high street.
You can hear one of them doing what must be an impression of you, judging from the high-pitched voice he's using. "Oh you naughty boys! Leave my precious rubbish alone!" Noisy laughter drifts back to you.
[[And so does one of the boys]]As he approaches, you lose the battle for self control. "Come back to throw something else at me, have you?" you yell. "I'm bloody sick of people round here treating the place like one giant rubbish heap."
He stands in front of you, staring. Then he kneels down and starts grabbing handfuls of the rubbish he and his friends had strewn on the ground. He makes a pouch using the front of his fleece and fills it with waste. "Sorry about those guys," he mumbles. "They can be real dickheads."
You realise he was the only one of them who wasn't laughing and making a mess when you first spotted them. You hurry over to the toppled bin and manage to heave it back into place. He shoves his collection of spilled rubbish into the bin.
[[You help him tidy the rest]](set: $metTyler to true)Working in steady silence for a couple of minutes, you've soon cleared up the worst of the mess. "That wasn't so bad, in the end," you sigh. He just nods. "Why do you hang around with them if you don't like them?"
He stares at you again as he brushes his hands on the sides of his trousers. "'Cos they're my mates, right?" he says, as though it's the most obvious thing in the world. He nods at you again, and then turns to follow after his 'mates'.
[[What an odd boy]]At least there are still a few nice people in the world. It's hard not to feel like they're heavily outnumbered by complete arseholes, though.
You sigh and head for home. On your way back, you pass by the church noticeboard. The usual posters are there. Bingo on Tuesdays at 7pm. A request for donations to the food bank. Someone advertising piano lessons.
[[Something new catches your eye]]A bright yellow sheet of paper announces "Waste Warriors: Join us every Sunday for an hour of tidying rubbish, friendly company and great exercise. Meet at the south entrance to Leonard Park at 2pm. Equipment and refreshments provided!"
Waste Warriors. The name suits the rage you've been feeling lately, but you suspect these people are bit more chilled out than you.
[[May as well give it a try->You're already looking forward to tomorrow]] To your surprise, he kneels down and starts grabbing handfuls of the rubbish he and his friends had strewn on the ground. He makes a pouch using the front of his fleece and fills it with waste.
Too stunned to think about it, you leave your hiding place and walk over to him. He looks up. "Alright," he says, before turning his attention back to capturing a particularly flighty crisp packet.
You hurry over to the toppled bin and manage to heave it back into place. He shoves his collection of spilled rubbish into the bin.
[[He gives you a nod of thanks]]Working in steady silence for a couple of minutes, you've soon cleared up the worst of the mess. "That wasn't so bad, in the end," you sigh.
"Sorry about those guys," he mumbles. "They can be real dickheads."
You don't really know what to say to that. "And they're your... friends?"
He smiles. "Oh yeah, they're my best mates really. Don't mean I think they're perfect, though." With that, he turns and walks off after his 'mates'.
[[Friendships are weird->What an odd boy]]
Tearing yourself from the peace of the garden, you hurry to get ready. At five to two, you're out the door and on your way to the park.
There's a lot of rubbish around the entrance, but you tell yourself it's a good thing. There'll be plenty of work to get stuck into.
[[A small crowd is waiting nearby]](if: $metJenCaz is true)[It's easy to spot Clark's rainbow helmet, and you hurry over to greet the little family.
"Beth, you made it!" beams Caz. "I think you're going to love it."
]
You look around at the rest of the group. There's a few young families and a decent turn out of people you presume to be pensioners, even though they all look fitter than you in their outdoor gear. One of them seems to have brought her teenage grandson with her.
(if: $metTyler is true)[Is that... the boy you met yesterday? The one who tidied up his friends' mess? You try and catch his eye, but he looks away, gazing out over the park.](else:)[He turns away from the group to look out at the park.]
[[It really is an unusual crowd]]A smartly dressed woman in yellow wellies is chatting with a family of four. Too smartly dressed for a litter pick, surely. And those wellies look spotless.
A peel of laughter rings out behind you, and you turn to see half a dozen people of assorted ages wearing high-visibility vests bearing a logo you recognise.
[[Green Action]]In the centre of the high-viz group is a man in his early fifties wearing a flamboyant scarf and taking heavy drags on his cigarette as he talks animatedly with his fellow activists.
They look like a friendly enough bunch, but you still feel a little intimidated by them. Probably because they're actually doing something constructive about the climate crisis while you waste your time worrying.
[[A loud voice interrupts your self pity]]"Welcome, everyone! And thank you to whichever one of you it was who organised the lovely weather," says a man in a bright green t-shirt. "It's great to see so many familiar faces here today."
"And some new ones too," says the dark-haired man standing beside him in a matching t-shirt.
The first man catches your eye and smiles. "Right, everyone. Grab a grabber, some gloves and a bag, and let's get stuck in!"
"See you all back here in an hour for the weigh in. And tea and cake!" cries the dark-haired man.
[[Everyone jumps into action]]You walk over to the electric cargo bike with Waste Warriors emblazoned on its side. It's filled with equipment, plus a couple of thermal flasks and a few promising-looking cake tins.
As you're trying to find a pair of work gloves that fit you and wondering why you didn't bring your own, the smartly dressed woman comes over to you. "Hi, I'm Jaspreet. Is this your first time?"
She offers you her hand, but you're still fumbling with the gloves so you can only manage a very awkward handshake. She doesn't seem to mind. "Hi. Yes, it's my first time. I'm Beth."
[[She seems enraptured to meet you]]"Tell me, Beth," says Jaspreet, while you finally force all of your fingers into the gloves. "Have you lived around here long?"
"Only about a year. I still feel like I'm getting to know the place, really."
Jaspreet's grin widens. "Oh, how nice. Welcome to the area then, Beth. Let's have a chat later, okay? I'd love to get to know you better."
"Er, sure, that sounds nice." She pats you on the shoulder and walks over to (if: $metJenCaz is true)[Caz and Jen.](else:)[a young couple with a cute little boy.]
[[You can't shake the feeling you've seen Jaspreet before]]Equipped with gloves that are slightly too tight, a huge bin bag and a grabber, you're ready to start tidying. Should you team up with some of the others, though?
[[Pick litter with Jaspreet]]
[[Pick litter with Green Action]]
[[Pick litter by yourself]](if: $metJenCaz is true)[You hurry over to the park gates, where Jen is showing Clark how to use his child-sized grabber while Caz and Jaspreet are collecting rubbish from around an overflowing bin.
"Mind if I join you?"
Caz waves at you with her grabber. "The more, the merrier, Beth. I reckon there's enough litter around here to keep us busy for a while."
[[You get stuck in]]](else:)[You hurry over to the park gates, where Jaspreet and one of the young parents are collecting rubbish from around an overflowing bin.
"Mind if I join you?"
Jaspreet looks pleased to see you. "Oh, Beth, that would be lovely. Look at this mess."
[[You get stuck in]]](set: _history to (history:))Maybe you can learn something from the friendly group of activists. They're working on clearing out the fountain in the centre of the park, so you hurry over to join them.
(if: _history contains "Pick litter by yourself")[There are some nice chunky items to collect here, including a broken bike lock and a lone shoe. You wonder where the other shoe ended up.](else-if: _history contains "Pick litter with Jaspreet")[There are some nice chunky items to collect here, including a broken bike lock and a lone shoe. You wonder where the other shoe ended up.](else:)[After a quick round of hellos, you try out the grabber. Collecting rubbish with it is fiddly at first, not helped by the mostly empty bin bag fluttering about on the breeze. It gets easier once you pick up a few heavier items, including a broken bike lock and a lone shoe.]
You're so focussed on your task that you don't notice the man in the scarf standing beside you until you catch a whiff of his cigarette smoke.
[[He gives you a lazy smile]]You'd rather work on your own for now. All that lovely litter. All to yourself. You catch yourself getting giddy at the sight of what appears to be half a fast food restaurant's worth of wrappers tucked under a bench. Is that a normal reaction?
Your litter picking takes you close to the elderly lady and (if: $metTyler is true)[the boy you met yesterday.](else:)[her grandson.]
[[Eavesdrop]]"Alright? Sorry, love, I didn't catch your name just now." His voice is gravelly, but his eyes seem to hold a lot of kindness.
"Hi, I'm Beth. And you are?"
"Dave, love. Nice to meet you. I'm here with Green Action. Have you heard of us?"
[["Yes I have. I'm a big fan, actually"]]
[["Yes. I don't really like your methods, though"]]
[["Yes, but I don't know much about what you do"]]Dave grins. "I'm happy to hear that. You know, not everyone in town is so supportive."
You can imagine what some people object to. "Well, you certainly know how to get a lot of attention. I'm actually really grateful to you."
"Stop, you'll make me blush." Dave chuckles. "It's lovely that you're grateful, but we don't do this to be thanked. We do it 'cos we have to. You know what I mean?"
[[You ponder that for a moment]]He chuckles. It can't be the first time he's heard that. "What methods, exactly?"
"Well, gluing yourselves to trains and spraying paint on buildings. Doing everything you can to get yourselves arrested. I'm not really sure what that achieves." Your worries about Green Action's most disruptive protests are the main reason you've not gotten involved.
"Ah yes, I see what you mean. Look, Beth, ninety nine percent of our time is spent planning, talking and painting banners. Did you know that?"
[[You did not]]Dave rubs his hands together. "We call it civil disobedience, which sounds a bit fancy, but it boils down to finding peaceful ways to draw attention to the climate crisis."
"What have you tried so far?"
He scratches his chin. "Oh, loads of things. My favourite is the road closures. We turn a busy street into a little garden for a few minutes while we offer biscuits to the drivers and hand out leaflets. We're not trying to piss off normal people, you see. It's not their fault the planet's in such a mess."
[[Sometimes you do feel like it's your fault]]"We don't always get it right," continues Dave, "But we are really good at getting people talking. Our local group hasn't glued itself to anything yet, but we will if we think it will get the right people to pay attention."
You nod. "I understand why you do the things you do, of course. We need that attention and fast. I just... I hadn't realised that so much of your work was...well, legal."
Dave smiles and you see that sparkle of kindness in his eyes again. "It's a lot of work, believe me."
[[You pluck a crisp packet out of the drain]]Dave peers at you closely. "Look, Beth, if you really want to make a difference, we could do with your help."
[[You don't think activism is for you]]
[[Could this be the perfect next step?->Join Green Action]]You try to snag a sweet wrapper with your grabber. "I think I know what you mean. Or, at least, I would like to know. To feel so strongly that I do something about it."
"Aren't you doing something now?" Dave gestures around at the happy crowd of litter pickers.
"This? This is such a tiny thing. More of a balm for my conscience than anything truly constructive. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying myself."
[[You smile as you shove a crumpled can into your bag]]"I can see that." He's grinning again. "Look, Beth, if you really want to make a difference, we could do with your help. There's a whole lot more to Green Action than you might have read in the papers. Many hands make light work and all that?"
You pause. Huh.
[[You don't think activism is for you]]
[[Could this be the perfect next step?->Join Green Action]]"I don't know, Dave. I'm more of a behind-the-scenes person."
"That's fine! Half of our members have never even been to a protest. They organise meetings, sew banners, write tweets. It's all important work."
Hmm. You hadn't realised there was so much to it.
[[Join Green Action]]
[[Not this time]](set: $joinedGA to true)It couldn't hurt to give it a try. If you don't like it, you can just go back to grumbling about your neighbour while you wait for the climate apocalypse.
"How can I get involved, then?"
Dave claps his hands together. "As luck would have it, we're having a meeting for local members on Thursday at the community centre. Seven o' clock and everyone's welcome. Someone usually brings cake, too."
"Oh well, in that case." You smile broadly. "I'll see you there."
[[You've never been one to turn down free cake]]"You've given me plenty to think about, Dave. But I don't think I've got much to offer Green Action right now."
"That's alright, love. If you change your mind, come along to one of our meetings. Next one's on Thursday at the community centre, seven o' clock. I'll save a piece of cake for you, just in case." He gives a throaty chuckle.
[["Free cake, huh?"->You've never been one to turn down free cake]]Before you know it, the hour is up. Between all of you, you've managed to collect thirty kilos of waste. You celebrate with a (reusable) cup of tea and a flapjack while chatting with (if: $joinedGA is true)[your new Green Action buddies](else:)[the Waste Warriors hosts].
[[You're so glad you came along]](align: "=><=")[####Continue Beth's quest to overcome climate anxiety in Part 2 of The Bin Bag Theory]
(align: "=><=")[####Coming soon...]
(align: "=><=")[[[Play again->Start]]]
(align: "=><=")[[[Credits->Credits]]](align: "=><=")[####Thank you for playing]
(align: "=><=")[####Designed and written by Katie Benson]
(align: "=><=")[####Tested by Aleksandra Glegola, Svend Hansen and Martina Kiehas]
(align: "=><=")[[[Play again->Start]]]"We could all do more to help, though. Right?"
"Of course, but it'll be easier for everyone to make changes if we can get governments and big businesses on board. No one in Green Action has a zero carbon footprint, Beth."
You look around the park at everyone picking cigarette butts out of the block paving or reaching under bushes to pull out bottles and cans. It would have taken you all week to clean this park by yourself.
[[Many hands make light work]]"I guess even this small event is helpful. Although, maybe it's just a balm for my guilty conscience."
Dave peers at you closely. "Look, Beth, if you really want to make a difference, we could do with your help."
[[You don't think activism is for you]]
[[Could this be the perfect next step?->Join Green Action]]Jaspreet is soon by your side. "So, Beth, what brought you here today?"
"Oh, you know, trying to do my bit."
"For the community?"
"Yes, but also for the environment. I know it's not much, but it's better than nothing."
Jaspreet peers at you closely. "I can tell you're someone who really cares about things, Beth."
[[Jaspreet seems very friendly]]
[[She's a bit full on for your tastes]]You're not sure why she's taking such an interest in you, but it feels nice to be appreciated.
"I try my best," you say, with a modest shrug. "What brings you here?"
"I'm so glad you asked me that, Beth. I live locally too, and I'm actually a councillor. Did you vote in the recent election?"
Aha, so that's where you know her from. You must have seen her in the local paper. "Of course. If I didn't vote, I'd have no right to complain about things." You laugh awkwardly at your little joke and Jaspreet joins in. She's so polite.
"Quite right, quite right. I've only been on the council for a few months, but I'm really enjoying it so far. I get to meet people like you, for a start."
[["Are you winding me up?"]]
[["I'm not so special"]](set: _history to (history:))"Er, thanks. That's sweet of you to say." You peer over her shoulder towards the middle of the park. "Ooh, will you excuse me, Jaspreet? I just spotted one of my friends over there."
She looks a little disappointed. "Oh, of course. Nice to meet you, Beth."
"You too, Jaspreet."
You take your empty bin bag and grabber and walk away.
(if: _history contains "Pick litter by yourself")[
[[Pick litter with Green Action]]](else:)[
[[Pick litter with Green Action]]
[[Pick litter by yourself]]]Her smile falters. "What do you mean?"
"I'm just not sure if you're being sincere, that's all. Maybe it's just part of being a politician."
She looks hurt for a moment, but rallies quickly. "Oh. I'm sorry, Beth. I was just trying to be friendly. It's who I am."
You narrow your eyes. "Sure. I'm probably being too sensitive."
[[You continue working together in uncomfortable silence]]Jaspreet scoffs. "Don't sell yourself short, Beth. Sure, I don't know you, but you're here today, giving your free time to a task that many argue should be taken care of by the council. And they'd be right. But you're clearly a person of principle. You care enough to help. That's why I'm so glad to meet you."
"Oh. I guess that makes sense. I do want to help. I spent too much time feeling powerless before I realised I could still make a small difference."
She nods. "That sounds just like my journey into politics."
[[She's definitely a positive thinker]]After a few minutes, you notice Jaspreet has edged her way closer to (if: $metJenCaz is true)[Caz again and is now chatting away with her. Caz laughs. (set: $upsetJaspreet to true)](else:)[the young parents and is now chatting away to them. One of the other women laughs. (set: $upsetJaspreet to true)]
Were you too harsh on Jaspreet? You hope your worries about the climate haven't distorted your ability to relate to other people.
[[You carry on clearing litter]]Before you know it, the hour is up. Between all of you, you've managed to collect thirty kilos of waste. You celebrate with a (reusable) cup of tea and a flapjack.
The guy in the scarf starts handing out flyers. You take one from him with a smile. "You should come along, love. We've got flapjacks too." He grins at you as you read the flyer.
[[A Green Action meeting. Hmm]]Maybe Green Action can offer you a genuine opportunity to make a difference. It's got to be worth a try.
[[You feel a glimmer of hope->You're so glad you came along]]"Would you like the council to be doing more, about the litter?" you ask her.
Jaspreet's eyes light up. "Oh yes. The litter for a start, but much more too. This is all just a symptom, isn't it? Of people who don't feel like this town belongs to them. I want everyone to be as proud of where they live as I am." Her expression makes her look young, but noble too.
You feel your heart thaw a little at the sight of someone who really seems to believe in a brighter future.
[["I wish I was as optimistic as you"]]She laughs softly as she plucks a burger wrapper from beneath a tree. "Oh, you have to work on it, believe me." She lowers her voice and looks you in the eyes. "A year ago, I was so depressed that I didn't leave the house for nearly three months. I still have my tough days, of course, but having a sense of purpose brought me back to life again."
You struggle to imagine the polished, confident woman in front of you being trapped at home by depression. But that's the thing about mental illness. Hidden. Lonely. Misunderstood.
"Wow, Jaspreet. I had no idea. You're an inspiration."
[[She laughs sadly and shakes her head]]"Most people don't know what I've been through. What I go through. I'm very good at hiding it. But you might have noticed that already," she adds, raising a playful eyebrow.
"You could say that." You feel bad for misjudging her, but at least you gave her the chance to open up to you.(set: $friendJaspreet to true)
"Look, Beth. I'm putting together a team of passionate people to try and make my dream into reality. Would you be interested in meeting up sometime next week?"
[["Yes, I'd love to"]]
[["Maybe. Do you mind if I think about it?"]]Jaspreet grins. "Fantastic. Here, take my card. Send me a text later, so we can sort something out, okay?"
You take the card. "Okay." (set: $workwithJaspreet to true)
She places a hand on your shoulder, before walking over to an elderly couple to help them carry their heavy-looking bin bag.
[[You go back to picking up cigarette butts]] "No, of course not. Take all the time you need. But if you can join us this week, we're planning to come up with our priorities to improve the town. I bet you have some good ideas."
She places a hand on your shoulder, before walking over to an elderly couple to help them carry their heavy-looking bin bag.
[[You go back to picking up cigarette butts]] Before you know it, the hour is up. Between all of you, you've managed to collect thirty kilos of waste. You celebrate with a (reusable) cup of tea and a flapjack while chatting with Jaspreet about her big plans for the future.
[[You're so glad you came along]]A patch of about seventy cigarette butts around a drain gives you the perfect excuse to pause close to the pair. They seem to be arguing about something.
"I don't know why you keep calling those thugs your mates. If they really cared about you, they wouldn't make you do things you don't want to do."
"They don't make me, Nan. I told you. You make it sound like they've got me torturing kittens or something. It's not like that."
"What is it like, then, Tyler?"
[[You risk a glance over at them]]The boy, Tyler, is shaking his head as his grandmother waves her grabber at him. "Watch what you're doing with that thing, Nan. I don't know why you're always having a go at me."
"You don't? You used to be such a good boy. So bright. If it hadn't been for your bloody dad-"
"Leave him out of it!" snaps Tyler. "My mates have always been there for me. Especially since..." He kicks an empty water bottle across the path. "They're not bad people. They're just bored in this stupid town."
"They are delinquents, and you know it. You're too smart to waste your life like this. You could be anything you wanted."
[[You drop the cans you were holding]]//Shit//. You thought you were being so careful.
Tyler and his nan look over at you. "Are you alright there, love?" The white-haired woman waggles her grabber in your direction.
"Er, yes thanks. Just a bit clumsy." You waggle your grabber in response. "Are you two regulars here?"
"That's right. I am, anyway. I dragged this lummox along to punish him for getting into trouble."
"Nan! Leave me alone."
[[Tyler looks at you]](if: $metTyler is true and $confrontedBoys is true)["Hey, don't I know you? Yeah, you're the one who screamed at my mates." He looks amused to see you again. "And now you're here. Makes sense."
You laugh nervously. "I wouldn't say //screamed// exactly. I was just a bit annoyed."
Tyler's nan looks from you to Tyler with her eyebrows raised. "You two know each other? That's nice. I wish all of his friends were like you."
[["We're not exactly friends"]]
[["Didn't we all have dodgy friends back then?"]]](else-if: $metTyler is true and $confrontedBoys is false)["Hey, don't I know you? Yeah, you helped me out yesterday." He looks pleased to see you again. "And now you're here. Makes sense."
You smile. "Er, yes, that's right."
Tyler's nan looks from you to Tyler with her eyebrows raised. "You two know each other? That's nice. I wish all of his friends were like you."
[["We're not exactly friends"]]
[["Didn't we all have dodgy friends back then?"]]](else:)["Ignore her, please. She thinks I'm on the road to a life of crime just because she doesn't like my friends."
"Tyler! The bloody cheek of you."
You're not sure how to respond.
[["Go easy on your nan, Tyler. I'm sure she only wants what's best for you."]]
[["My mum used to think the same about me. It gets better, though."]]](set: _history to (history:))Tyler scowls at you. "Oh, nice." He turns his attention back to snatching up pages from a scattered newspaper.
His nan gives you a sad smile. "That's a shame, love. He could do with a good influence in his life, someone he'll listen to."
//Or someone who'll listen to him//, you think. (if: _history contains "You get stuck in")[You're about to respond, but Tyler suddenly turns on his heel and strides away. His nan gives you an exasperated look before hurrying after him.
[[You hope he'll be okay]]](else:)[You're about to respond when Jaspreet strides over to you. "Hello again, Beth, can I join you?"
"Erm, sure."
She grins and greets Tyler's nan, who then hurries after her grumpy grandson as he marches away.
[[You get stuck in again]]](set: _history to (history:))(set: $friendTyler to true)Tyler sniggers, clearly amused by the idea that someone like you could have ever had dodgy friends.
"It's true," you protest. "My mum never thought any of my friends were good enough. It just led to me not introducing them to her and keeping more things secret. It's a shame, really."
Tyler's nan looks thoughtful. "Tyler knows he can always come to me, don't you?"
He struggles to meet her gaze. (if: _history contains "You get stuck in")[He looks like he wants to respond, but he suddenly turns on his heel and strides away. His nan gives you an exasperated look before hurrying after him.
[[You hope he'll be okay]]](else:)[He's about to respond when Jaspreet strides over to you. "Hello again, Beth, can I join you?"
"Erm, sure."
She grins and greets Tyler's nan, who then hurries after her troubled grandson as he marches away.
[[You get stuck in again]]](set: _history to (history:))Tyler scowls at you. "Oh, give it a rest." He turns his attention back to snatching up pages from a scattered newspaper.
His nan gives you a sad smile. "That's sweet of you to say, love. He just can't see how he's breaking my heart."
(if: _history contains "You get stuck in")[You're about to respond, but Tyler suddenly turns on his heel and strides away. His nan gives you an exasperated look before hurrying after him.
[[You hope he'll be okay]]](else:)[You're about to respond when Jaspreet strides over to you. "Hello again, Beth, can I join you?"
"Erm, sure."
She grins and greets Tyler's nan, who then hurries after her grumpy grandson as he marches away.
[[You get stuck in again]]](set: _history to (history:))(set: $friendTyler to true)He looks you in the eye. "Any idea when? Like, tomorrow would be nice."
You grin. "Yeah, it might take a bit longer than that. Try to remember that your nan cares about you and that her concerns, well, she only has them because she loves you."
His nan nods. "That's what I'm always trying to tell him. I'm so proud of you, Tyler. You're going to do great things."
Tyler sighs with frustration. (if: _history contains "You get stuck in")[He looks like he's about to respond, but he suddenly turns on his heel and strides away. His nan gives you an exasperated look before hurrying after him.
[[You hope he'll be okay]]](else:)[He's about to respond to his nan when Jaspreet strides over to you. "Hello again, Beth, can I join you?"
"Erm, sure."
She grins and greets Tyler's nan, who then hurries after her angry grandson as he marches away.
[[You get stuck in again]]]Jaspreet stays close by your side as you work. "So, Beth, what brought you here today?"
"Oh, you know, trying to do my bit."
"For the community?"
"Yes, but also for the environment. I know it's not much, but it's better than nothing."
Jaspreet peers at you closely. "I can tell you're someone who really cares about things, Beth."
[[Jaspreet seems very friendly]]
[[She's a bit full on for your tastes]]Before you know it, the hour is up. Between all of you, you've managed to collect thirty kilos of waste. You celebrate with a (reusable) cup of tea and a flapjack while chatting with the Waste Warriors hosts.
[[This wasn't so bad->You're so glad you came along]](align: "=><=")[##The Bin Bag Theory]
(align: "=><=")[####By Katie Benson]
(align: "=><=")[[[Start game->Start]]]