Communities tackling litter and pollution
07/30/2023
Search on Facebook for litter groups and you’ll find people in communities up and down the country doing something positive to tidy up their local areas.
Rubbish fouls our streets and beaches. National campaigns like Keep Britain Tidy which was founded in 1960 and the #2MinuteBeachClean which started in 2013 have raised awareness and shifted behaviour. On a local level, there are charities and social enterprises which organise litter picking events and lead projects to tackle the problem.
Here are two organisations working to make a difference in their local areas and beyond.
Clean Cornwall
Clean Cornwall has been working across the county to tackle litter and waste for more than 17 years. It facilitates community litter picks, delivers educational sessions, runs campaigns, gathers data and works with businesses to reduce their impacts.
Jade Jackson, Project Officer told us about their work and how it changes across the seasons:
“Previous research of coastal areas by WWF found that each summer, holidaymakers can cause a 40% increase in litter. Shockingly, in June alone last year our volunteers collected more than 240 bags of litter.
Litter isn't just on beaches. It’s in towns, villages and along our stunning coastal paths. In 2022 Clean Cornwall volunteers litter picked at nearly 100 locations and filled at least one full bag at each of them. The most common items are cigarette butts, disposable vapes, discarded fishing equipment and food wrappers.
Anyone can register a litter pick for free with us. We provide groups and individuals with everything they need. Pickers can also join our Pick A Litter Mile campaign to help track and trace litter in Cornwall.
To truly tackle the issue of litter, we must also turn off the plastic tap at its source. Our Change Makers network gives businesses the opportunity to meet with experts and explore how to reduce their waste and improve sustainability. Cornwall Council and Cornwall’s primary waste management services share their unique insight and expertise into Cornwall’s waste and its environmental impacts. The network has been covered in local media to help reach and inspire more businesses to address this issue themselves.”
Rubbish Walks UK
Jason Alexander started social enterprise Rubbish Walks UK in 2018. His ethos is 'not about building a community of litter pickers, but building communities that don't litter'. Rubbish Walks UK organises community walks across Suffolk to pick up litter on beaches, riverbanks and footpaths. They also raise awareness through public talks and national campaigns focussing on commonly littered items. Jason has also founded the UK’s first official Vintage Litter Museum.
Walks attract a diverse range of volunteers. Jason says:
“We see all ages and abilities on our walks. I love how volunteers may start as strangers but soon become friends. It was obvious early-on that walks would be more than just picking up litter and doing something positive for the environment. They bring individuals together who may not normally interact, they help combat loneliness and have a positive effect on mental health and wellbeing.”
The Great British Vintage Litter Museum is a collection of items found on litter picks which date from the 20th century illustrating just how long it takes for items to decompose. The museum has just been accepted as an Associate Member of the Association for Suffolk Museums. Jason hopes to take the museum on tour and is about to launch a range of environmental whodunnit workshops called ‘The Vintage Litter Museum Cold Case Files’.
In 2019 they launched Blitz the Butt to tackle the shocking number of cigarette butts littered every day. The campaign has collected over 1.2 million to date. After finding lots of balloon waste, they started campaigning on this too with a pledge to use #BubblesNotBalloons. Most recently Jason has teamed up with Rodrigo Butori, the founder of the global Plastic Fisherman movement to bring #PlasticFishing to the UK. All campaigns are helping to boost awareness and inspire good behaviour.
