500 Westmeath volunteers joined National Spring Clean 2021 in 40 locations and achieved highest results yet
National Spring Clean 2021 is now over in Westmeath and it has been the largest campaign to date!
The National Spring Clean is Ireland’s official anti-litter campaign and over the last 21 years, it has been highlighted the collective responsibility we share in tackling and preventing the litter problem.
National Spring Clean is operated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce in partnership with local authorities and supported by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
This year, due to the success of the campaign in previous years, the National Spring Clean ran from April to the end of August, making Spring Clean 21 Ireland’s longest running and largest anti-litter campaign to date.
More than 500 Westmeath volunteers have participated in organised clean-ups at over 40 locations in the county.
Furthermore, National Spring Clean has been a starting point for a large number of groups to organise recurring clean-up events throughout the rest of the year.
The National Spring Clean is also an opportunity to act local to tackle a global issue. Over the last couple of years, the National Spring Clean has also been trying to raise awareness about another crucial issue: the link between litter and climate change – the biggest environmental challenge of our time – and highlight how combined local actions can have a global effect.
Consumption patterns and how we dispose and treat our waste have a substantial effect on the levels of emissions of several greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
National Spring Clean manager, Emlyn Cullen said: “We want to thank all the groups and individuals around Ireland who joined us. While waiting for Spring Clean 2022, there are several ways in which communities and individuals around Ireland can keep getting involved and do their bit for our environment.
“For example, we encourage people to do a #2minutestreetclean every time they are out and about. Moreover, we are joining An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme for the Big Beach Clean and we are inviting volunteers to register and tackle marine litter at its source.”
National Spring Clean: www.nationalspringclean.org
Big Beach Clean: www.cleancoasts.org/our-initiatives/big-beach-clean
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @NationalSpringClean
Twitter: @NationalSpringC
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YouTube: National Spring Clean
ABOUT NATIONAL SPRING CLEAN
The National Spring Clean campaign Ireland is largest and longest running anti-litter campaign.
It is operated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce and sponsored by the Wrigley Company.
It is supported by local authorities, who help co-ordinate clean-up activities for communities within their counties and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
Local authorities also provide for the disposal of all rubbish and waste materials collected.
What we can do outside the month of April
While the National Spring Clean usually runs in April, please remember that personal actions throughout the year are very important too. Here are some choices we can make daily to make a positive change:
• When you are out for a walk, visiting a park or a beach, do a quick #2minutestreetclean or a #2minutebeachclean
• Avoid single-use plastic when possible, by choosing more sustainable alternatives, such as reusable bottles and coffee cups, cotton bags, metal straws…
• Don’t litter and if a bin is overflowing, keep your waste until you find a waste to dispose of it properly
• If you can’t reduce or reuse, recycle; know where and how to recycle all types of waste.
• Recent statistics show that, in Ireland, discarded cigarette butts make up for 60% of litter on the streets. Always bin your butt!