2 March 2018
Even though we face some huge environmental problems, if we all make small lifestyle changes they can have big impact for our planet. Green Living is a monthly series of articles suggesting practical, easy steps we can all do to make sure our beautiful Earth is preserved for our children by Paul Woodhead, Green Party Councillor for Hednesford South on Cannock Chase District Council.
This weekend brings a national focus on litter as the organisation Keep Britain Tidy undertake their annual Spring Clean recognising the #LitterHeros in and around our community. Many community groups will be undertaking specific activities from 2nd to 4th March across the District and you can find more through Keep Britain Tidy website or contact any of your local community groups who will let you know what is being done where and when.
I support a weekly litter pick in different areas of my community in Hednesford each Sunday from 10am; 1st Sunday Brickworks Nature Reserve, 2nd Sunday Old Hednesford Park, 3rd Sunday Town Centre and Railway Station, last Sunday Anglesey Nature Reserve. A personal thank you to all the volunteers involved with these and across the District.
Each time we find such a wide variety of litter types from plastic bottles and sweet wrappers to fast food trays and beer cans but also larger items including shopping trolleys, barbeques and even a push bike. There are other ways we can help improve our local environment and reduce the adverse impact of litter.
Going plastic free is a challenge but reducing the plastic we consume is about taking the small steps discussed previously. As we all recognise the damage being done by plastics more initiatives and information is coming forward all the time to help reduce our reliance on plastic and this is a massive step towards preventing litter. If our local environment is to thrive we need people not to drop litter in the first place and our Council prioritising the education and enforcement of litter droppers to stop this at source.
Beyond this litter picking can be done during our everyday lives as well as at formal litter picks. An activity is sweeping through Sweden “plogging” picking litter whilst jogging, closer to home a village in Staffordshire is encouraging people to pick up 5-a-day pieces of litter and others are committing to Plastic Free Fridays’. Whatever you can do all helps keep our community clear of litter and promotes green living.
If you have your thoughts for a sustainable living please get in touch and we will share them in a future article.
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