Great British Spring Clean 2019 #GBSpringClean

It's now officially spring so what better time to have a spring clean? From 22^nd March to 23^rd April 2019 the Great British Spring Clean is taking part. It's being organised by Keep Britain Tidy who have been trying to get Britain litter free since 1955.

I can't stand the sight of litter and the effect it has on our environment. This week I have picked up several bits of litter and put them in nearby rubbish bins. Why is litter such a problem and what can we do about it?

Why pick up litter? - Firstly, it's unsightly and piles of litter can make a nice area look scruffy very quickly. Litter can be dangerous to both humans and animals. A dropped glass bottle can soon be smashed which can then cut feet or be swallowed by an animal. The recent wet and windy weather has shown how stray bits of litter can be blown around. This can then lead to drains getting blocked and floods occurring.

How you can join in? - You can host your own clean-up by logging it on the website. Think of an area you want to concentrate on. It could be a local park or a number of streets in a neighbourhood.

If you don't want to sort one out yourself you can look up a local organised clean-up in your area. There's a list of them on the website. There could already be a local environment group doing regular litter picks. Of course you can just go out when you want and do it yourself.

What equipment will I need? - You can pick single bits of litter up with your hands if you know it to be safe e.g. pieces of paper. For longer sessions get some litter pickers. This will be much safer as you could cut your hands or touch harmful substances. You can ask your local council if they can provide you with equipment.

Do I just put it all in a sack? - It's best to try and separate it into recyclable and non-recyclable items. If you are doing it in a group you could get teams to pick up certain items so one doing paper, another tins etc. If this isn't possible you could sort it out later.

Has your area got a litter problem? Do you pick up litter when you see it?