Litter Picking

Shockingly, the UK is one of the most litter-blighted countries in Europe, with councils spending around £1bn every year to tackle the scourge of this problem. If that wasn’t alarming enough, here are more nail-biting statistics: 700,000 bags of rubbish are removed from the UK’s roads annually, 744 items of litter are disposed per 100 meters of beach, 30% of people admit to littering, and 86% of people believe this habit is disgustingⁱ. To that, we say: what a load of rubbish!

Littering sullies our beautiful English landscape. And it’s especially noticeable where our offices are situated in Kent, otherwise known as the Garden of England. In a few decades, it wouldn’t be surprising to see our picturesque countryside submerged in a sea of thick litter. Filth isn’t good for the spirit, either. We wholeheartedly believe everyone has the right to work and live in a clean, litter-free environment; places they can prosper in and be proud of. 

Besides looking unsightly, littering is a serious economic, social, and environmental issue. At the heart of the issue lies the threat to ecosystems and wildlife. Everyday objects, like plastic bags, plastic can holders, elastic bands, containers, cans, and glass may appear safe to you, but they can soon become hazardous for animals, especially wild birds. In fact, the RSPCA receives 14 calls a day about animals suffering injuries from rubbishⁱⁱ. Littering has a detrimental impact on our coastline and marine life, too. Fish and birds often mistake inconspicuous fragments of plastic and glass for food. Like rural areas, our oceans are also choking in rubbish.

We think littering and fly-tipping are acts of environmental vandalism. They’re unnecessary. They’re unpleasant. And they’re unacceptable. To help clean up this filthy issue, support the locality, and protect our ecosystems, we’ve decided to become part of the pick. The herculean strides needed to keep Britain clean start with small steps. And that’s why we encourage staff members to become litter heroes, picking up rubbish on their commute to work or on lunch breaks.

What’s more, Keep Britain Tidy’s research has highlighted that ‘litter leads to more litter’ⁱⁱⁱ. The not-for-profit suggests the presence of litter often gives people permission to drop more litter. With this is mind, the logical solution is to keep the area around our offices litter-free so there’s no incentive for people to deface it. After all, everyone has a responsibility to care for the environment – and litter picking is an immensely valuable, altruistic, and purposeful place to start.

References:

1. Keepbritaintidy.org. (2019). Available online: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/sites/default/files/resources/KBT_How_Clean_Is_England_LEQSE_Report_2015.pdf [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].

2. Rspca.org.uk. (2019). Litter and Animals: Rubbish and Animals - RSPCA. Available online: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/litter [Accessed 21 Feb. 2019].

3. Keepbritaintidy.org. (2019). Available online: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/sites/default/files/resources/KBT_Journal_of_Litter_and_Environmental_Quality_June2017.PDF [Accessed 21 Feb. 2019].

Bibliography:

1. Keepbritaintidy.org. (2019). Available online: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/sites/default/files/resources/KBT_How_Clean_Is_England_LEQSE_Report_2015.pdf [Accessed 21 Feb. 2019].

2. Rspca.org.uk. (2019). Litter and Animals: Rubbish and Animals - RSPCA. Available online: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/litter [Accessed 21 Feb. 2019].