A SOCIALLY conscious retiree has made it his mission to beautify the city of Burnie.
Hans Bluhm, 70, moved to the North-West from Canberra 18 months ago and brought with him a habit he has carried for 30 years.
He spends two hours each day wandering the streets, picking up cigarette butts and other trash, often dropped by less concerned citizens.
Mr Bluhm said he is not on a warpath to hold people accountable for littering, but is simply using the time he has to do some good.
Do what you can, for whoever you can, for as long as you can.
- Hans Bluhm
"It has always been one of my mottoes that you do what you can, for whoever you can, for as long as you can," Mr Bluhm said.
"We all have our challenges.
"I haven't denigrated anybody for doing what they do. But it is sad when a car goes past and drops trash out of the window."
Mr Bluhm said he has taken his cleanliness crusade all over the world, and often been photographed or filmed for social media.
"In a touristy fishing village in Goa in India someone came up and said they had seen me on TV.
"I didn't even know someone had been filming me."
He said people in Burnie have asked if they can take photos of the messages on his vests to share on Facebook.
However, on a recent pick up Mr Bluhm said he picked up 1170 cigarette butts just on the railway line between Fish Frenzy and the Makers' Workshop.
"The statistic around the world that I have heard is that for each piece of litter that gets dropped ten cigarette butts get dropped," he said.
Mr Bluhm said his earliest memory of being concerned about litter came when he saw his Dad empty the family car's ashtray into the gutter when he was about ten-years-old.
"I just knew it wasn't the right thing to do. I am grateful I didn't have the addiction Mum and Dad had."
He said education about the damage rubbish does to the environment must start at a young age both at school and at home.
But in the meantime, he is happy to spend his time giving back to his community.
"I'm 70 and I'm a pensioner. It's a social event and it's physically and emotionally healthy for me."
The Advocate
Sandy Powell
Court and crime reporter covering the West and North-West of Tasmania for the Advocate.
Court and crime reporter covering the West and North-West of Tasmania for the Advocate.
