Clean up your act with these top tips to the ideal litter pick

Last autumn we claimed that “litter picking's not just for Mitzvah Day" and we’ve stuck by our word. This month, JR is teaming up with Keep Britain Tidy for their seventh annual Great British Spring Clean (GBSC), running from Friday 25 March to Friday 8 April. We're inviting the rest of the Jewish community to show a little gratitude to the councils that daily clean our streets by clearing up the areas that go unnoticed. It's also important that we limit the nasty byproduct of decaying rubbish, as these microscopic toxins pollute our skies and seas. Keep Britain Tidy research has also shown that people are more likely to litter in areas that are already messy, so it’s time to clean up our act and protect the environment. Here are our handy tips for a productive Great British Spring Clean:

1. Come together

Whether you've done this before or you’re a first-time volunteer, working with other people is crucial. You’ll cover more ground collectively, especially if you map out an area for each person to work. Team spirit can transform a monotonous activity into a day of socialising and meeting new people. Over 254 community centres, parishes and synagogues take part in clean-ups for Keep Britain Tidy, providing pickers, bags, gloves and even energising refreshments, so reach out in your local area to find a group to join. Not sure where to look? Enter your postcode on the Keep Britain Tidy homepage to find community events near you. And if you’re spending GBSC solo, the virtual community on Facebook and Twitter is a terrific way of joining the national movement.

2. Reap the rewards

Do something for yourself by doing something for the planet. This year, Keep Britain Tidy has pledged a mammoth collective target of one million miles walked. Litter picking is great exercise and your contribution will not only benefit the environment, but your mind and body as well. Returning the environment to its natural form can be a meditative process. In fact, lots of previous volunteers agreed that they ended the day with a clear head and a decluttered mind. Isn’t that a beautiful metaphor?

3. Stay safe

It’s about catching trash, not a cold! Litter is sadly a transporter of disease – one of the many reasons we want it gone – so wear gloves and keep your hand sanitiser close.

4. Bin your bag

GBSC volunteers in 2019 collected 957,377 bags of rubbish throughout the two-week campaign. Where did the bags go? It all depends on the local council and their specific requirements regarding litter disposal. We are big on recycling in Britain, but nowadays councils have numerous recycling sub-categories, in addition to non-biodegradable bins, so to aid the disposal process and help your council out, Keep Britain Tidy has put together a trash guide for each affiliated UK council, which you’ll find on your area’s council website.

A natural environment is the all-important framework for the safeguarding of wildlife, a mindful society and a brighter future. So don your ethical cape, pick up a bag and join Keep Britain Tidy's army of #LitterHeroes.

By Betsy Cohen

Photos courtesy of @KeepBritainTidy

For more information on the Great British Spring Clean, visit keepbritaintidy.org.

We hope you’ve been inspired to head out on a little litter-picking excursion in your own local areas. We’d love to see you in action, so please send your pictures in via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or email them to info@jewishrenaissance.org.uk, and we’ll share them on our blog and social channels.