A call to help clean up B&NES is being given to residents across the district to join a week of community litter picking activities.
The council’s sustainability and waste teams, supported by community group No Place for Litter, are running the ‘Big B&NES Community Clean-Up’ in October and are offering communities support and guidance to run their own events.
Individuals, neighbours, businesses, schools and community groups are all encouraged to carry out a litter pick from 19 to 27 October. A calendar of activities will be produced so that everyone in Bath & North East Somerset can find out where to join an event near them.
Councillor Dave Wood, cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “Litter causes damage to our environment, particularly plastic, which can be blown or washed far away and pollutes not just our local environment but also our countryside. We all have the power to help tackle litter by taking it home to recycle or placing it in a bin.
“We know there are lots of dedicated and active litter picking groups across the district and having a dedicated litter picking week in October means we can capture and support their great work and give more people the opportunity to get involved in making our shared places litter-free. I would also like to thank the businesses who have taken part in organised litter picks to help make Bath cleaner.
“We want to hear from people who set up events so that our calendar will help residents find their nearest place to get involved. Even two minutes of litter picking helps.”
To have event details added to the Big B&NES Community Clean-Up calendar, email sustainability@bathnes.gov.uk. People unable to take part in a planned event are encouraged to carry out a #2minutelitterpick during the week of action.
The date of the litter picking week has been chosen to coincide with the national Plastic Free Communities Autumn beach cleaning week, run by Surfers Against Sewage, which also aims to tackle plastic pollution.
Find out what the council is doing to reduce the problems of litter at https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/streets-and-highway-maintenance/litter-street-care-and-cleaning/litter-campaigns
Details of the council’s Plastic Free BathNES campaign that supports businesses and schools to remove single use plastics can be found at https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/environment/sustainability/bathnes-plastic-pledge
Much of the litter in Bath is in the town centre, and it’s there as a consequence of a) thoughtless tourists, many of them schoolchildren and EFL students b) the plethora of fast-food outlets over which the council has been happy to preside, and c) the so-called night-time economy – perhaps Bath’s only economy – the debris from which can be seen each morning.
Councillors and officials have had a part in creating the mess. I’m sure they’ll be taking part in the Big Clean Up.
Overheard a visitor admiring some polished brass outside Martini’s Restaurant in George St. Something that should be encouraged I think. Perhaps a ‘Bath Newseum’ award for the most improved brasswork…