One-man mission to rid New Zealand's coastline of rubbish

Sunday, 6 October 2019

He is just one man but Des Watson wants to make a difference as he travels around the country's coastlines collecting litter.

Drugs, cash and katipō spiders are all in a day's work for Des Watson as he scours the country's coastline.

Fossicking not for gold but for rubbish, Watson has spent the last 10 months collecting an estimated 15 tonnes of waste while doing a lap of the South Island.

After receiving a small inheritance the West Coaster quit his job last year and followed the coast south from Karamea in his truck on a 'mission' to keep rubbish out of the ocean.

Watson said he felt he needed to do something after reading about the impact of plastic waste on sea life and seeing the problem first hand.

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Des Watson is on a mission to keep rubbish out of the oceans. He has spent 10 months scouring the South Island's coastline and has now shifted his sights north.

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'I'm from Westport originally and used to be a surfie down there. I've seen a lot of rubbish [in the ocean] over the years, so I guess that's where it stemmed from.

'It's not going anywhere unless someone picks it up - so here I am. I've got two hands and two legs, and I'm just trying to do my bit.'

Des Watson picking up rubbish on an Eastbourne beach in Lower Hutt.

He spends five to eight hours a day picking up other people's litter.

Having crossed Cook Strait, Watson is now on the North Island leg of his journey which he says could take up to a year.

Watson spent five weeks at the Fox River clean-up.

Starting in Wellington he'll make his way up the East Coast and then back down the other side of the island.

He has been relying on friends and family and the kindness of strangers to put him up, let him use a shower, and give him the odd meal.

He has been recording his experiences on his Facebook page Kiwis Clean Aotearoa and has set up a Givealittle page to help fund the journey.

His trip has taken him to some of the country's most beautiful spots, but no matter how stunning the rubbish is always there.

Watson said the worst thing he'd seen was tonnes of rubbish from a landfill strewn down the Fox River.

He spent five weeks 'bent over like a staple' helping with the cleanup.

'It was pretty heart wrenching. The riverbed was lined with plastic, [and other] stuff like old chemicals and medical waste.'

While Watson said he was just doing his bit he hoped his example would encourage others to take up the cause.

'We're all in this together and we can't keep trashing out environment like we are.'