SATURDAY 4 TO SUNDAY 12 APRIL 2020
As a member of Outdoor Bloggers I think we can safely assume that you care about the environment and would like to do something to help nature survive and thrive. Sadly, one common aspect of the outdoors that’s difficult to miss is the abundance of litter. Not only is it unsightly, it is also a danger to wildlife and can, in the case of plastics, take thousands of years to break down. If no one clears the rubbish, it will just stay where it is forever more.
At the beginning of April, we will hold our fifth annual BIG OUTDOOR BLOGGERS CLEAN UP. This (just over a) week-long event encourages Outdoor Bloggers members from around the UK, and in fact all over the world, to spend a little bit of time collecting rubbish that is littered about their local areas. For the last few years we’ve done this in January, but this year we thought you might enjoy some (hopefully) better weather, and with these dates including the Easter holidays you might even be able to get out more often to help with the operation.
We know that many of you will pick up litter every time you go out – which is fantastic, thank you for what you do to help keep our countryside clean. The idea of this activity is to offer a concentrated effort as a team across the whole country, and to encourage others to join us in keeping our countryside tidy.
Research published in the journal Anthropocene suggests that Humans have made enough plastic since the second world war to coat the Earth entirely in cling film, and that no part of the planet is free of the scourge of plastic waste. Everywhere is polluted with the remains of water containers, supermarket bags, polystyrene lumps, compact discs, cigarette filter tips, nylons and other plastics. Some are in the form of microscopic grains, others in lumps. And the impact is highly damaging to wildlife, nature, the environment, and our resources.
Rather than all coming together to do one litter pick in a random location in middle England that only a small handful of us can get to, this event doesn’t involve any travelling for anyone – you take part wherever you happen to be.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS…
At some point from Saturday 4 to Sunday 12 April, whenever and wherever it is convenient for you, go out for a walk (or two, or three) in the countryside close to your home/work/wherever you happen to be. Go on your own, with your family, take your work colleagues or friends along, it’s up to you.
While you are out, collect up all the rubbish you see (take a bag or two and some gloves!).
Take a photograph of your “haul” at the end of your walk, preferably with you in it, and post it on twitter and/or instagram stating the number of plastic items you have collected with our hashtag #OutdoorBloggers.
Put the waste in a suitable bin to give it the best chance possible of being recycled and not ending up in landfill.
If you can, share your litter pick experience on your blog to encourage others to also do their part.
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