Local running legend Dane Waites is getting behind new litter reduction campaign to maintain Sapphire Coast Drive, led by Bega Tathra Safe Ride Secretary Doug Reckord.
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Dane, Doug and Bega Valley Shire Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick came together to show their support and mark the beginning of the campaign on Friday.
Dane said it was a great initiative as he believes it's important to look after the environment.
"They're doing a very good job and I think they will keep up with the good work to look after our environment," Dane said.
Mr Reckord often collects rubbish on the side of the road when riding his powered tricycle on his way to work at the Bournda Environmental Education Centre.
It was after giving a friendly toot of the horn to Dane who was on his regular run on Sapphire Coast Drive, that Mr Reckord realised he could raise the profile of the litter issue by asking Dane for his support on the campaign.
"Dane loves his community and knows we can all work together to keep Sapphire Coast Drive looking clean and beautiful and that's why he is happy to support our project," Mr Reckord said.
"I am really looking forward to him noticing the positive difference when he goes for his regular runs."
Mr Reckord said from his experience of cleaning up Tathra Road, keeping on top of rubbish weekly has made the process quicker and more manageable overall.
"Once you get the initial clean-up done, it becomes about a bag of rubbish a week, plus a third of a bag of bottles and cans. So it's not a huge amount and can be done in about an hour," Mr Reckord said.
Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Russell Fitzpatrick said he was happy to see that Bournda Environmental Education Centre and Bega Tathra Safe Ride have devised a "great campaign with an inspiring local person at the fore".
"Everyone knows Dane from his superhuman achievement of running more than 4000km from Perth to Pambula in 2017," Cr Fitzpatrick said.
"He did this for a great cause, to raise awareness of what it's like to live with autism, and I'm pleased to see Dane back again raising awareness for the welfare of every person living in the shire."
Cr Fitzpatrick said the litter campaign is simple but powerful and will be effective if everyone gets behind it.
"Dane, along with just about everyone else who walks, runs, rides a bike or pushes a pram anywhere in the shire, would love to get out and about without litter being part of the experience," he said.
"As Mayor of the Bega Valley Shire, one of the best things is to come across people doing smart and selfless things for the good of everyone, and it gives me pleasure to support the message behind this fantastic campaign."
Mr Reckord said litter can build up quickly and in areas like Sapphire Coast Drive, the waste can wash off into Wallagoot Lake and Bournda Lagoon.
"The rubbish gets washed into drains, it gets washed into our waterways and ends up in our marine environment," Mr Reckord said.
"In the case of plastic they say it doesn't break down it breaks up, into smaller and smaller pieces which can eventually find itself into food chains and food webs."
Mr Reckord said he thinks the majority of people living on the Far South Coast highly value the environment and that overall he hasn't seen much littering.
However he pointed out that the best thing people can do is to pick up any rubbish they come across to help keep their environment clean.
He said it can be as simple as keeping a pair of gloves and a rubbish bag on you whenever you go out into nature.
"Its just that little contribution by lots of people that will solve the problem because there's not that many people chucking rubbish out."