What started out as picking up a few bits of rubbish while he worked on a mowing project on the Hunter's highways has sparked a passionate plea from Sonny Morrison to litterbugs.
The Adamstown horticulturist said he was "blown away" when he saw just how much trash lined the region's roadways after starting on the grass maintenance project a few weeks ago.
"I started picking it up as I went, but I wasn't even putting a dint in it," he said. "It took me three hours to sort through the rubbish I'd collected in two weeks.
"I knew it was a problem, but seeing it all up close was really concerning."
He has seen discarded tyres, mattresses and clothing but mostly, disposable drinking vessels, many of which are made of plastic.
"The thing is, when people throw it out the window, it might be out of their life but it doesn't disappear," he said. "A plastic bottle on average takes approximately 450-500 years to break down, an aluminium can 200-400 years."
He is urging drivers, particularly during Plastic Free July, to put their rubbish in the bin, recycle it where possible or invest in reusable containers.
"I don't know why people throw things out of their window in this day and age," he said.
"It just doesn't make sense in Australia when we have so many options to recycle.
"People see Plastic Free July and think 'oh that's ridiculous', but it's not just about cutting out plastic altogether. People just need to try and be more mindful of their actions.
You can get reusable cups and bottles, use foil instead of cling wrap.
"Everyone can do their bit to help."
