In the recent times, the Highland Council and the Dornie Community Council have endorsed the siting of a Recycling Point directly on the shoreline and 10 metres from our shop and residence at the Aird Point viewpoint you now see on 9-1-4 Outdoor's 'Eilean Donan Castle Webcam'. Whilst we too advocate the principle of recycling, we also advocate the siting of recycling points in landscaped and appropriate locations together with regular maintenance and cleaning. We have battled in vain to open up dialogue with these councils in the hope that this recycling point can be located in a less environmentally sensitive place and not what has ironically been deemed as an 'area of outstanding scenic beauty' by the Highland Council! The recycling point is left in a disgraceful and hazardous state for most of the time and we cannot see how this can benefit the environment or anyone at this location and in this state. This site has been growing in size and is very rarely cleaned or managed and because of this continued state, has also attracts regular fly-tipping, but after a canvassing of opinion by the local community council, it is claimed that this site is of an environmental benefit to the local community not causing a nuisance. We believe the canvassing of this opinion was bias in favour of this location and opinion gathering was not nearly open enough to all who use this viewpoint and travel to the area and no attempt has yet been made to gauge a fair cross-section of opinion. What we have constantly been attempting to do is to try and get across that we, as well as most of our customers and tourists to the area, feel differently about this recycling point but have not had chance to air their views from our different perspective. We feel that what now amounts to a council dump is an absolute disgrace and we cannot understand why anyone would think this recycling point was good for anything or anyone apart from being out of sight - out of mind for a few people. Unfortunately, our voices are not being heard. Therefore what we want to do is to simply try to make these councils realize that this is a public area enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors a year and any potential hazard immediately impacts on the environment, wildlife and a far greater number of people than these councils give credit for. What Can You Do To Help As already mentioned we want to canvas opinion in favour of relocating the recycling point to a more appropriate location and to perhaps encourage ideas on how to turn this eyesore into an area in-keeping with the breathtaking location. So this time we would like to hear from anyone who is in favour of the good of the environment for everyone and everything. If you agree with our campaign to have the recycling point relocated to a more suitable location and for it to be correctly managed, landscaped and cleaned wherever it be resited on a regular basis, then there are several ways to make your views known: 1. SIGN OUR PETITION – ‘Redevelop Aird Point ‘Recycling Point’. Simply enter your name and comments in the boxes available below. 2. E-mail Robbie Bain of the Highland Council directly at [email protected] and please copy us in at [email protected]. He is keen to hear from you. 3. E-mail your support in favour of relocation to the Dornie Community Council through their website www.dornie.org.uk/feedback.asp Also feel free to suggest alternative uses of the current site to these councils; a picnic/viewpoint/wildlife education area, for example. If we can succeed in our quest, then this facility will benefit everyone, disturb no one and at the same time, a natural masterpiece of a view and shoreline will be unspoilt for future generations to come. Remember, this is a public place and is free to be enjoyed by everyone as is the environment, and it is also free to the hundreds of thousands of visitors a year that stop and enjoy the natural beauty and wildlife at this viewpoint and are welcomed by the local community (ourselves included), to spend huge amounts of their hard-earned cash in this stunning area which should after all, be managed to the highest standards the area and the paying public deserves. So if you care for and agree that environmental issues have far wider implications than just placing a recycling point on a beautiful shoreline then forgetting about it or purely for meeting council targets, then please help us make these councils realize that it is up to all of us to work together to clean up the environment and to make recycling a benefit in all ways to the environment. After all, the fundamental purpose of recycling is caring for the environment as a whole. Many thanks to all, for your understanding and time. Patrick and Kara Cowdroy (9-1-4 Outdoor)