Litter is a huge problem on our streets, roads, riverbanks, and in our woods, fields and recreation areas and our seas and oceans.
Litter Volunteers
Each month many of our members take part in a litter pick. We also have one-off events where we tackle litter ‘grot spots’ as a group. Although it’s a never-ending task, picking up litter is a rewarding and therapeutic activity!
Just spending two hours a month means that you are helping to make our surroundings look pleasanter and more appealing, whilst protecting the soil, plant life and wildlife from toxic and dangerous chemicals that leach out of plastic litter in particular. The same chemicals also end up poisoning rivers, seas and oceans and the marine life there.
So by volunteering it’s an all round win win situation. Volunteers feel they have done their bit for the community and the environment benefits in lots of different ways. Children and families benefit from litter free areas to play in and also, dare we say, that Ribble Valley Borough Council benefits too because our labour is used to pick up the litter on the roads in Read and Simonstone – RVBC litter pickers can clean up other parts of the highway in the Ribble Valley.
If you would like to help our volunteer litter pickers as a one off, on your own walks, or at a group event please get in touch. We can lend litter pickers and have some supplies of black bags.
There are risks when litter picking – some from traffic around us and some hazards amongst the litter. We can offer useful advice on how to stay safe whilst helping to tidy up the environment.
Please contact us if you would like to help.
Two Minute Litter Pick Board
With the permission and help of Read Parish Council we set up a board in the playground that has one adult and child sized litter pickers and two litter bags. These boards can also be found at popular tourist spots around the country so that individuals can spend two minutes to help to keep their environment tidy. We are hoping also that children will take on board the message of ‘Keeping Britain Tidy’ and carry this into their adult lives.
We had a decal – vinyl sticker – made with instructions and created a logo of ‘Reggie the Hedgehog’ to make this into a fun activity and encourage children. We also hope to use Reggie decals on litter bins too.
One committee member made and painted the board, one member sewed the nylon litter bags.
So far it seems to have been successful. Children enjoy picking up the litter and the playground is tidier.
Litter on the banks of the River Calder
We are pleased that someone has volunteered to become our River Warden. They regularly visit the river bank because when there has been heavy rain the amount of litter deposited on the river banks is unbelievable! When that happens we try to have a “Shout Out” and go down to clear the litter en-masse. However, it is a never ending task clearing up the rubbish that arrives from communities upstream. If the litter is not cleared away it will be washed downstream and end up in the seas and oceans causing problems for humans and marine life.
Litter is a problem because:
- It leads to soil, water and air pollution by releasing toxins which affect our health and that of animals and also affect plants and their survival.
- The run-off water from our roads gets into rivers and seas again having a detrimental effect on marine life.
- It is a breeding ground for rats and insects and the diseases they carry.
- It’s a fire hazard.
- People and animals can harm themselves due to litter. Animals and birds get entangled, trapped and suffocate. The biggest killer of animals and sea creatures apparently is plastic bags as they mistake the litter for food.
- Litter collects on the ocean floor and on the surfaces of oceans. There are ‘Garbage Patches’ of varying sizes around the world’s oceans. Some of the plastic breaks down into small pieces called nurdles which are eaten by fish and other marine animals. Plastic is now being found in human tissue. There are no long term studies yet available to discover the long term effects on humans.
- If litter is burned it releases toxins into the atmosphere that affect health.
- Litter is an ‘eyesore’ and as such can affect how people feel about the place they live leading to the deterioration of the mental health of the inhabitants and definitely affects the spirit of a community.
Dropping litter is an anti-social (and unlawful) activity. Although some littering is accidental, most litter is deliberately thrown down. This means that many people need to change their behaviour for the benefit of other people in their communities and the environment in general. Yes, it’s a local issue but is also a national and international. problem. However, there are some communities across the world who are relatively litter free.
Ultimately littering shows lack of respect for the community and the individuals living there.
So litter pickers of Read and Simonstone grab your heavy duty litter picker with the rubber jaw ends and pick up those cigarette butts, think of the pollution that you will prevent.