National environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, which runs the Eco-Schools and Eco-Schools for Early Years programmes, today revealed 70% of UK parents and guardians say seeing litter makes them less proud of where they live – but for over a third (38%) seeing schools take part in litter-pick activities would help them to love where they live.
In a YouGov survey carried out on the charity’s behalf ahead of the tenth Great British Spring Clean campaign (21 March- 6 April), 79% of parents and guardians said they demonstrated their love for where they live by not dropping litter while others said they litter-picked (21%) and volunteered in their local community (20%).
Two thirds (66%) of parents and guardians say they are ‘disappointed’ when they see litter in their local area, while almost half (40%) are angry. They also feel sad (42%) and embarrassed (33%). More than a quarter (26%) also said they ‘called out’ littering behaviour and told others not to do it.
Since 2016, the Great British Spring Clean campaignwhich incorporates the Great Big School Clean, has empowered #LitterHeroes of all ages across the nation to pledge to pick more than four million bags of harmful rubbish from streets, parks and beaches – that’s more than half a million wheelie bins!
More than 160,000 school children pledged to protect our environment during last year’s School Clean and some pupils from Ormiston Academies Trust schools are currently fronting the charity’s national advertising campaign to Love Where You Live.
With 51% of parents and guardians in the survey agreeing that seeing litter free parks and beaches (51%) and streets (57%) would help them love where they live more, the charity is calling for educational settings to join forces with communities, faith groups, businesses and local authorities during the campaign to tackle litter and protect the environment on their doorsteps.
Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “We know there’s a problem – but we also know that people-power is part of the solution.
“Each year the Great Big School Clean’s fantastic and dedicated #LitterHeroes take positive action to tackle litter and show they love where they live.
“This growing culture of small individual actions has added up to an enormous impact with more than four million bags pledged by our army of volunteers during the Great British Spring Clean since it was launched in 2016. Thank you to everyone who has been involved.”
Schools can pledge to pick on the charity’s website: www.keepbritaintidy.org
