The saying; “a little of what you fancy does you good” unfortunately has led to abuse. The human race has demonstrated weaknesses beyond measure over the centuries. Defeated by FAD’s and trends the latest in a long line of wobbles actually hits two targets.
The apparently innocent canister of nitrous oxide, bought by countless coffee shops, cafes and restaurants to agitate cream into a thick topping for drinks and desserts is being sidelined by the unscrupulous and the naive. Decanted into smaller ‘sparklet’ bulbs the gas has become a social pastime. Inhaled via a balloon it provides a short term high followed by potentially devastating nerve damage. Then the second social deviation, the canisters, large and small, are dumped in the hedgerows.
The fact the gas is ‘food grade’ indicates a false sense of security. Somebody, somewhere in the supply chain must be aware that last order for delivery to a home address is suspect. And with a twisted sense of irony, the dumped canisters are actually recyclable.
All in a day’s work for the Burghwallis Volunteers. Collecting fly-tipped litter that includes a growing number of nitrous oxide gas canisters has become a central theme. The thought of the damage the gas can do to the probable young bodies inhaling the gas drives the litter collection team on.
Talking of litter, the parish council is organising a Great British Spring Clean litter clearance extravaganza on the 25th and 29th March, and 1st April as party of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. Spearheading the event is councillor Brenda Grimes, and if you can spare an hour or two to join the team please contact her on 01302 727186. the more people who turn up allows the process to simultaneously clear the five lanes and roads that serve Burghwallis. The process is quite therapeutic, leaving cleared lanes, but at the same time a concern that we are quite a filthy nation that tosses rubbish in the first place.