Tips For Community Litter Picking

Litter picking in the community is one of the things I love to do, it gives me joy to know that the streets are a little cleaner after I’ve been out and unfortunately, there are always people dropping litter and that’s the world we live in.

It took me a while to figure out what I needed to start my litter-picking journey and understand what to do and not to do. That’s why I thought I’d write these tips for litter picking in the community article.

I will admit that it can be very daunting to start with, feeling like everyone is watching or judging you. That being said, I’m the reason that the streets are cleaner and half of the people looking are probably litter-dropping offenders anyway.

Tips For Litter Picking In The Community

Engaging in litter picking within the community is a commendable and impactful activity. You’ll find that most people, however, don’t do it for praise, but just because they want the surrounding areas where they live to look nice, clean and tidy.

Here are some tips to make your litter-picking efforts safe, effective, and enjoyable:

Preparation

1. Gather Supplies:
   • Litter Picker/Grabber: To avoid bending down repeatedly and to pick up trash safely. A sturdy grabber is a must in my opinion.
   • Gloves: Protect your hands from sharp objects and contaminants. Glass proof are best, heavy duty gloves are a god send.
   • Bags: Separate bags for general waste and recyclables. Strong bags are important depending on how much you’re picking up.
   • High-Visibility Vest: If you are near roads or in busy areas. However, I tend to avoid busy traffic areas and stick to more community parks and roads.
   • Sturdy Footwear: To protect your feet and provide good support. You’ll be getting your steps in so make sure your feet aren’t hurting.
2. Choose a Location:
   • Select areas that need attention, such as parks, beaches, roadsides, or community spaces. Never go anywhere that puts you in danger such as litter picking a busy main road.
   • Obtain permission if necessary, especially on private property or certain public areas. I avoid going into gardens and private property.
3. Plan Ahead:
   • Check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. If it’s raining, I stay home.
   • Inform someone about your plans, especially if you’re going alone. Use an app, possibly WhatsApp to send your live location to a friend or family member so they can track you if needed.

During the Activity

4. Safety First:
   • Avoid picking up hazardous materials like needles, broken glass, or unknown chemicals. Report these to the appropriate authorities. Wear thick gloves just in case.
   • Stay hydrated and take breaks as needed. If it’s hot out, wear a hat.
   • Be aware of your surroundings, especially in areas with traffic.
5. Work in Teams:
   • If possible, work with others. It’s safer and more fun. Plus, you can cover more ground.
6. Sort and Recycle:
   • Separate recyclable items from general waste to reduce landfill impact.
   • Familiarise yourself with local recycling guidelines.

Community Engagement

7. Organise Events:
   • Plan community litter-picking events to involve more people.
   • Promote the event through social media, community boards, or local newspapers.
8. Educate and Raise Awareness:
   • Share information about the impact of littering and the benefits of keeping the community clean.
   • Encourage others to reduce waste and dispose of litter properly.
9. Celebrate and Share:
   • Celebrate your efforts and share your successes with the community.
   • Post photos and stories on social media to inspire others to join. Instagram and the Nextdoor app is great for this.

Follow-Up

10. Regular Maintenance:
    • Regularly revisit litter-picking sites to maintain cleanliness.
    • Encourage the community to take ownership of keeping the area clean.
    • Don’t feel bad if you revisit an area and there is a lot of litter, people will always drop litter and that’s why we do what we do.

Products Needed For Litter Picking In The Community

To effectively carry out a litter-picking activity in the community, having the right tools and supplies is crucial. Here’s a list of essential and helpful products to ensure your litter-picking efforts are efficient, safe, and enjoyable:

Essential Items

1. Litter Pickers/Grabbers:
   • Long-handled tools to pick up trash without bending over or touching it directly.
2. Gloves:
   • Durable, protective gloves to keep your hands safe from sharp objects and contaminants.
3. Trash Bags:
   • Heavy-duty bags for collecting general waste.
   • Separate bags for recyclables to sort items like bottles, cans, and paper.
4. Picker Hoops: A litter picking hoop holds your bin bag so you don’t have to worry about it floating about in the wind and makes it easier to pick.
5. High-Visibility Vests:
   • Bright vests to ensure you’re visible to traffic and other people, especially if you’re working near roads or in low-light conditions.
6. Sturdy Footwear:
   • Closed-toe shoes or boots to protect your feet from hazards and provide good support.

It’s always important to have the right litter-picking gear before you start on your adventure. It’ll make it so much easier and at the same time, you’ll look all professional and people might be inspired to help out with litter picking in their community.

I use this recycled litter-picking hoop to do even more for the environment because there’s enough plastic out there already that I end up picking up! It’s a little more expensive but when it comes to litter picking in the community and keeping it clean and tidy, well you can’t put a price on that personally.

Why Litter Pick In Your Community

Litter picking in your community helps protect the environment, enhances public health and safety, improves the appearance of public spaces, boosts local economies, fosters community spirit, and educates residents about environmental responsibility. It’s a simple yet effective way to create a cleaner, safer, and more attractive community.

It also feels really nice when you’re walking about after litter picking and it looks a lot cleaner. That being said, when you’re walking about and do see litter on the floor, it helps to motivate you further. It’s also a great way to get out of the house, meet new people and get in your daily exercise while doing something good for the community.

Litter picking in the community is something I would encourage all people to try once in their lives even if it’s just to deter people from dropping litter in the future.