On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you'll find Keith Earl walking the streets of Kerikeri with Northland Waste green prepaid rubbish bags. Keith has been picking up rubbish three days a week in Kerikeri for the last 10 years.
Originally Keith began walking for exercise, but he couldn't help but notice all the waste scattered on the roadside in his community. He began taking green rubbish bags on his walks so he could pick up all the rubbish he passed on his walks and make sure it was disposed of correctly in a bin.
Keith developed a weekly routine of areas to walk that he found had the most rubbish, Monday would be town to the bypass, Wednesday was the bypass, and Friday was state highway 10.
When we found out what Keith was doing for the community six years ago, we decided to provide him with 15 bags a month which he fills with the waste he picks up. When Keith has filled a bag, he leaves it in a particular collection spot where our drivers pick it up. Alternatively, if our drivers spot him, they'll stop, empty his bag and give it back so he can continue.
Keith's message to the Kerikeri community is to be proud of the place you live and pick up your rubbish, simple as that. When you see Keith on the streets cleaning up Monday, Wednesday and Friday, make sure to give him a toot of support for all the incredible work he is doing in our town.
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