Litter left in our countryside, streets, parks and rivers isn’t just an eyesore, it can be extremely harmful to wildlife and nature, and cost tax-payers millions of pounds in clean-up costs every year.
To help make a difference Litter Free Dorset, a community campaign to reduce litter across Dorset is working with CPRE to encourage individuals to get involved. And throughout September, Dorset will be getting its very own Green Clean with a number of litter picks taking place across the county.
CPRE and Litter Free Dorset are looking for volunteers to help transform Dorset, clearing it of bottles cans and other littered rubbish that is harmful to nature and prevents us from enjoying the green spaces that enrich all our lives.
This is the second annual Green Clean held by the countryside charity, following the huge success of last year’s events, where CPRE’s Green Cleaners collected hundreds of bags of litter and over 11,000 bottles and cans, transforming their local countryside for everyone’s benefit.
You can hear all about Litter Free Dorset in an interview with Sophie Colley, Litter Free Dorset Project Officer, in this edition of The All Inclusive Show
Maddy Haughton-Boakes, Campaign Lead at CPRE, said: “Litter doesn’t belong in our countryside, and through the collective effort of local people, who either live in or simply love the countryside, we can transform our local green spaces back to a beautiful litter-free state.
“Events like CPRE’s Green Clean help to bring communities together for a fantastic and worthwhile cause. Last year we had so much fun, working together with local communities’ right across the country to clean up the countryside. Nobody wants to see their local area awash with litter, and that’s why we want everyone across Dorset to get out and get involved.”
As well as collecting litter CPRE and its team of Green Cleaners will count and record all the bottles and cans collected to use as evidence in order to keep the pressure on the Government to create the best possible deposit return system for England.
Once introduced, a deposit return system will boost recycling rates for drinks cans, bottles, cartons and pouches to more than 90%, meaning that very few drinks containers will be left littering our countryside and causing harm to our environment.
The first litter pick has already taken place in Dorchester on Thursday 5th September, but there are plenty more taking place across the County throughout the rest of the month.
To get involved visit cpre.org.uk/GreenClean or email litterfreedorset@dorsetcc.gov.uk
Sophie Colley, Litter Free Dorset Project Officer