McPiggy and the meaning of life

Aberdeen Climate Action recently had a competition to design a mascot. Children completed entries at Climate Week North East earlier this month and the runner-up is my favourite. Meet McPiggy who eats plastic and poops paper. Designed and illustrated by the 8-year-old Ashton.

I thought of McPiggy this morning when I read about a true hero in Mumbai who, two years ago, started picking up plastic from his local beach. The beach was filthy and unsafe to use so he put on some gloves and got started.

He quickly realised it was too big a problem to fix alone and so he started asking locals for help. Initially people turned him down, probably because they viewed it as an insurmountable task. But he persisted and eventually led a team of volunteers who succeeded in cleaning up the beach and now the turtles have returned. Individuals and communities can make the world a better place. Never give up.

The next Climate Cafe is new Tuesday evening at 7pm, Waterstones Bookstore in Aberdeen. It’s on Hydroponics and Permaculture.

Posted

March 30, 2018

Climate change

Rachel M

Tags:

ACA, climate, Climate Cafe, Climate change, litter, McPiggy, Mumbai, plastic, turtles

Comments

6 responses to “McPiggy and the meaning of life”

wheatypetesworld

March 30, 2018

This shows that people can make a difference, that people can really address this horrific issue. And then perhaps climate change summits will ask for their help instead of squabbling in a petty way amongst themselves. Maybe they will even remember that it was the people who put them there in the first place. Maybe even the people will take notice of the paper-pooing pig. And it will all have started with an 8-year-old.
Reminds me of when my daughter asked why everyone wasn’t helping the refugees where she worked with us on the Hungary-Austria border (see my post about that) and couldn’t stop laughing when told that maybe they were afraid of the refugees because they worshipped a different God and had darker skin.
There is hope because there are children in this world like this. And adults against seemingly impossible odds making a difference in Mumbai. Love the pig, and this thought-provoking post. We have to have hope and McPiggy is one example of why we should have. Thanks for sharing.

Reply
1. Rachel M
  
  March 30, 2018
  
  Thanks so much for your uplifting comment. I agree that we can’t give up or lose hope and that we have to keep fighting for our children. My children make me want to leave the world a better place. They are the future.
  
  Reply
Anne McCarthy

March 30, 2018

Whoa the Mumbai story is wild. How cool!

Reply
1. Rachel M
  
  March 30, 2018
  
  Isn’t it fantastic! I hope they can keep it like that.
  
  Reply
Pat Johnopolos

March 30, 2018

Reblogged this on My Life on the Chicago # 36 Bus and commented:
Here is a reblog from Rachael M of folks working to clean up places of great discard. Look for Miss Piggy by Ashton aged 8

Reply
Denise

April 2, 2018

That’s inspirational.
It makes me think of the Aberdeen cycle campaign. Anything is possible.

Reply