We’ve seen a beautiful change in the weather over the last few days, which has been incredibly welcome after one of the wettest Mays on record – so we can finally get outside and enjoy some lovely fresh air, out in the sunshine.
While you’re out there, enjoying the countryside and coastline, you could join in with the Great British Spring Clean, which is celebrating its sixth year of operation in 2021. It all kicked off on May 28th and will be going on until June 13th, so you have plenty of time to head out and about, and become a #LitterHero in your local area.
The Spring Clean is, in fact, the UK’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign so you may well spot others cleaning up streets, beaches and parks near you. There may well be organised events going on where you are, as well, so you could even make lots of new like-minded friends at the same time.
In 2019, according to Keep Britain Tidy, more than half a million #LitterHeros came together to pick up rubbish here, there and everywhere, collecting almost a million bags of litter – which equated to 4,308 tonnes.
But it’s not just the planet you’ll be helping out if you do decide to take part in this year’s campaign – it seems as though you’ll be doing your mental health a whole lot of good, all at the same time.
A survey was carried out after the Great British September Clean 2020 event was done and dusted, asking the volunteers how participating made them feel, with 79 per cent saying that it helped improve their mood.
And 44 per cent said it helped them feel less anxious about what’s going on in the world, 43 per cent said it helped them feel less isolated and 78 per cent said it made them take more pride in their local area.
This spring, you can join in with the #MillionMileMission, as it has been dubbed to clear litter from streets, beaches and parks – the chance to show some real love for those special outdoor spaces that helped keep us all as sane as possible during lockdown.
You’re advised to wear some gloves and use a litter picker while on your clean-up mission, as well as carrying hand sanitiser and washing hands regularly throughout the day (as it’s important to remain covid-secure, of course, even as restrictions are being lifted).
If you do have plans to pick up a huge amount of litter, it could be worth getting in touch with your local council before you get going so you can find out what to do with it and how to dispose of it in a responsible way.
We’d love to hear how your litter-picking activities go, so make sure you get in touch with us to let us know. And don’t forget – if you need open top recycling bins in order to keep your home tidy as well, take a look in our online shop to see what you can find!
