Metal Detectorist at the Grassroots

             Clean up Britain            

Following a tipoff from a retired microbiologist correspondent, it appears that a commercial metal detector rally organizer and author of A Guide to Metal Detecting is speaking at an upcoming environmentalist event:

Grassroots Policies For Farming, Food And Wildlife

The second in a series of events to develop a people's manifesto to increase sustainability and justice.

[...] In Part 2 of our webinar series we'll consider two controversial farming systems: Genetic Modification and Factory Farmed Animals, and we'll also hear about a pollution scandal.
Join us for a lively discussion with:

Natalie Bennett, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, former Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, will talk about Genetic Modification.

Bel Jacobs, former Fashion Editor, Founder of The Empathy Project and Co-Founder of the Islington Climate Centre, will talk about Factory Farming.

Graeme Rushton, Farmer and founder of Unearthed UK Ltd, will talk on the Contamination of Farmland

The panel will be chaired by Simon Duffy, President of Citizen Network and Director of Citizen Network Research. This online event has been organised by Alicia Hull in partnership with Citizen Network.
DATE: Thursday 20th April
TIME: 6:30pm BST
For tickets and more detailed information visit our Eventbrite page

It is interesting that a participant in the practice of erosively mining the archaeological resource as a source of collectables (and one that organizes it as a business "Unearthed UK Ltd.") is considered a worthy partner of other environmental concerns. What's he going to talk about? "A pollution scandal [...] the Contamination of Farmland". What's the betting this is about Britain's problem with litter and extraneous material getting into organic matter that is composted as green waste through lax segregation and poor quality control [see here and here]? In comparison with other more disciplined areas of Europe, the post-Brexit British countryside has become an utter rubbish dump due to the country's disgusting epidemic of litter and fly-tipping (see also 

@cleanupbritain

 for a clear picture). So far, there has been little progress in finding sustainable and effective solutions to this issue. That'\s because simply asking people not to do it (and why) is not working in this age of self-centred "me-me-me". Like metal detecting and collection-driven destruction of the archaeological record.

Ironic, let us just notice that the metal detectorists' "green waste campaigns" over the past decade or so have been driven entirely by self-interest too. Having to stop to detect, then dig up and properly dispose of modern metalwork in the ploughsoil slows down the rate at which they can hoik out the more collectable historical artefacts for themselves (that is deplete the historical environment to fill their own pockets). And commercial rally organizers will have to work that bit harder to find fields that will not produce so much green-waste-imported metal dross to put clients off. In fact, a high proportion of such waste will help to protect the archaeological evidence from all being stripped away into finds pouches by Mr Rushton's clients.

Environmentalists might want to look at the selfish (and commercial) attitudes that lie behind "metal detecting" and the smokescreen arguments offered to deflect criticism of their anti-environmental acquisitiveness. Artefact hunting is an environmental issue.

Hat tip Dr William Shepherd, Liverpool.