“I’m one little boy and it started with one tub and one dream to save the planet, and now look how many we’ve got.”
Teddy has collected more than 2,500 plastic confectionery tubs because he does not want them to end up in landfill.
The six-year-old from Netley in Hampshire was “angry” when he found out that the tubs, often piled high in supermarkets, could not be recycled by the kerbside.
Teddy, whose hero is David Attenborough, told the BBC: “We have one planet and we need to look after it.”
Teddy has been picking up tubs from houses and others are left on his doorstep [BBC]
Last year he collected 358 of the tubs, which are typically sold with chocolates, sweets, or crackers inside.
He wrote a letter to his school, which in turn sent out a letter to parents, and together with his mum Laura he put up posters at local businesses.
He even asked his grandad to go to the local tip to ask them to save any tubs that people had binned, to prevent them going to landfill.
Whilst some authorities in the UK have the capacity to recycle these tubs via kerbside collection, Hampshire currently does not.
Recently Teddy stepped up his activity, and a post on Facebook in which he described himself as an “eco warrior on a mission” and telling of how “hundreds of thousands of [tubs] go to landfill or the ocean” helped gather momentum.
He quickly “smashed” this year’s target of 500 tubs, reaching 2,598 in a month.
He has also been collecting them from people’s houses, and has taken them out of bins.
Mum Laura said people had been “so supportive and kind” [BBC]
Teddy, who wants to be a marine biologist or a stunt man when he grows up, said: “I’d heard we can’t recycle these tubs in our normal recycling bin but I wanted to change that so I can save the world.
“We have one planet and we need to look after it.”
Mum Laura said: “Teddy’s realising now the issues we have, and is really keen on trying to get the message out there, and inspiring others to make a difference.
“It doesn’t matter what change you’re making or how big or small, it does make a difference to our environment.”
She added: “People have been so supportive and kind getting behind him.
“Every time we come home there’s more tubs left on the doorstep, friends have told friends who’ve told friends and every tub makes the difference.”
Teddy has collected the tubs as part of Greene King’s Tub2Pub charity appeal. The tubs will be taken to The Shamblehurst Barn pub and from there to a plastic reprocessing centre.
But for now he has no plans to repeat the feat next year.
“I’m going to have a break,” he admitted. “I’ve done it for two years straight!”
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