The Great British Spring Clean 2023

Back for its eighth year, The Great British Spring Clean is run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. This year it takes place from 17th March to 2nd April. The campaign will see up to half a million people taking action to clean up streets, parks and beaches across the country.

Littering Costs Nearly £1 Billion Per Year

As well as blighting our streets, parks and beaches, litter harms wildlife, domestic pets and livestock, and costs nearly £1 billion a year to clean up. The Great British Spring Clean brings together individuals, community organisations, businesses and councils to make a difference to the environment on our doorstep and, ultimately, to save us all money!

Last year an amazing army of “Litter Heroes” pledged to pick nearly half a million bags of litter. Can the same happen this spring, as we battle to clean up the places and spaces we love?

A Benefit to Individuals

It’s not just the local environment that benefits, individuals can too. Of those who took part in the previous Great British Spring Clean and subsequently responded to Keep Britain Tidy’s survey, many reported positive mental health benefits. These included:

• 83% felt more part of their community
• 74% reported an uplift in mood
• 88% said they would encourage other people that they knew or met not to drop litter
• 82% felt more aware of the impact that litter has on the environment
• 82% felt they had the knowledge and skills they need to carry on litter picking in their local area as a result of taking part
• 92% said they had enjoyed volunteering their time to the Great British Spring Clean

Litter Heroes

For this year’s Great British Spring Clean, the focus is on litter picking and litter heroes.

New research reveals that more than 8.5 million adults in the UK have done litter-picking at least once in the past six months, and the good news is that litter-picking is a simple action that anyone can do to make an immediate and visible difference to their area.

So, if you want to take action to protect the environment this spring and show more pride in where you live, join the Great British Spring Clean and pledge to pick up a bag – or more – today.

The Importance for Picking up Litter

The reasons for picking up litter are numerous, including:

• Each year, as a country, we spend hundreds of millions of pounds clearing up litter. This is money that could be better spent on other public services, like social care and education.
• Each day, around 20 million drinks containers are ‘lost from the loop’ – meaning they don’t get recycled. Plastic bottles, aluminium cans and glass bottles are all recyclable and can be turned into new drinks vessels. But if they are littered, the valuable materials they are made of are wasted. It takes less energy to recycle than make new, so capturing these materials is critical.
• The RSPCA receive thousands of calls a year about animals that are caught up in or injured by litter. By removing materials that don’t belong from their natural habitats, we protect wildlife and marine life.
• Research from Keep Britain Tidy shows that people feel less safe, and house prices are affected, when an area looks littered and uncared for. By taking care of our neighbourhoods, we increase feelings of pride and safety.

Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton says: “The Great British Spring Clean is an opportunity for the millions of people who care about the environment on their doorstep to do something positive that will make a visible difference. We are delighted that the people of Tunbridge Wells are supporting this year’s campaign and would like to thank everyone for their support.”

Find out more about the Great British Spring Clean 2023 and how you can help around Tunbridge Wells.

#GBSpringClean #LitterHeroes