World Cleanup Day 2018 united 18 million people in 157 countries and territories for the biggest waste collection day in human history. JCI UK joined the movement by organising litter picking sessions across the country; we even trekked the streets of Winchester after our AGM. The next World Cleanup Day will take place on the 21 September 2019. Volunteers and partners worldwide will once again come together to clean up litter and mismanaged waste from beaches, rivers, forests and streets. The campaign harnesses the power of everyday people who achieve incredible things by working together. If you're interested in getting involved, read on for our 5 'rubbish' ideas, which range from tours to 2 minute challenges. And remember to log your voluntary ACE Hours here. More information - including safety information and waste sorting info - is available on the World Cleanup Day site. Are you ready to Step Up your litter picking?

1) Trash Mapping

The first step in cleaning up the world is knowing where the rubbish hotspots are. Download TrashOut (a free mapping app) to report any illegal tips you come across and local environmental organisations, municipalities and active citizens will be notified. You can also use the app to find your nearest recycling centres. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoEnt0fj2_A[/embed]  

2) Rubbish Networking

Last year, many local chambers hosted a local litter picking session. JCI Sheffield struck a great balance of picking and socialising with their Rubbish Networking event. To keep the conversation flowing, you can research interesting facts about the area you're visiting. As well as learning more about your city, this will further highlight the negative impacts of discarded waste in the community. [caption id="attachment_8715" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Neal Stirk, JCI Sheffield's 2017 President[/caption]

3) Plogging

A combination of jogging and plocka upp (Swedish for 'to pick up'), plogging is a fitness trend where runners pick up litter while exercising. JCI London's impressive 2018 plogging session was captured by BBC London (watch below!). As well as impacting the planet, plogging can benefit your mental health. Neuroscientist Dr Andrea Michelli says that the positive effects of a single exposure to nature – for example, a walk or run in the park – can last for seven hours after the individual has experienced it. [embed]https://www.facebook.com/BBCLondon/videos/2067168103324876/[/embed]

4) Visit a Recycle Centre

In July 2019, senator Janice Hadfield organised a tour of Veolia's Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility in Leeds. The 42m building is designed to remove recyclable waste from the city's black bins and recover energy from the leftover rubbish. Attendees - including National President Mark Smith and Community Action Director Hannah Woodcock - gained valuable insights throughout the tour. Did you know that the facility provides enough energy to power 22,000 homes? Or that food waste accounts for around 30% of contents in black bin bags? Or that the ginormous (and strangely hypnotising) grab can hold up to 6 tonnes of rubbish? The green 'living' wall was a definite tour highlight. One of its kind in Europe, the beautiful facade enhances the visual impact of the building and provides biodiversity in Leeds' industrial area. [caption id="attachment_8713" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The recycling centre (top left), the grab sorting waste (top right) and the biodiverse wall (bottom)[/caption]

5) #2minutelitterpicking

Struggling to devote a day to litter picking? How about 2 minutes? #2minutebeachclean is run by The Beach Clean Network Limited. The not-for-profit organisation was created by Martin Dorey and Tab Parry after a series of brutal North Atlantic storms left beaches littered with marine plastics. They set up stations at various beaches to encourage people to clean up harmful waste - similar to JCI Southampton's recent beach clean at Mettricks Woolston Waterside. Using twitter and Instagram to try to inspire others, Martin came up with the idea of doing just 2 minutes at a time – but every time - and began using the hashtag. Since then, thousands of hashtagged posts have appeared on Instagram and Twitter from every continent. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=YNGhAERqxLA[/embed] Due to the success of the beach clean boards, the organisation has moved inland to village parks, canals and green spaces; you can find your nearest board here. Alternatively, challenge yourself to pick up litter for at least 2 minutes every day - on your lunch break, after work or an evening walk.

Getting Involved?

If you or your local chamber is taking part in World Cleanup Day 2019, we'd love to hear from you. Please email Community Action Director Hannah Woodcock at hannah.woodcock@jciuk.org.uk