I know quite a few public spirited individuals who voluntarily pick up litter wherever they go, I am among their number.
I despair at the amount of litter that is left in and around our magnificent Forest, most of it simply thrown out of passing cars.
I achieved some notoriety in the press earlier this year by being too explicit in my use of language to a group of school children visiting Westminster when I described what I really thought about litter louts.
Now one of my correspondents demands that I do more, and even lead a campaign. I am at a loss as to how respond. To be frank, although I abhor litter and those who are responsible for it, I do have important fish to fry.
Even if it were my top priority, what’s to be done?
I’m reminded of Oliver Cromwell’s despairing question when confronted with the nation’s growing vice (which then included playing sports on Sunday). He asked “if I were to arm one in every ten, will that be enough?”