Clean up in the nature
Garbage or even illegal landfills are not just a visual problem for nature. Depending on the type of waste, small organisms, but also groundwater and rivers, soil, air and human health may be at risk. For example, plastic bottles or bags: through mechanical abrasion, the action of chemicals dissolved in water, but also due to changing temperatures or sunlight, this waste gradually breaks down into small particles that settle in nature, including the bodies of animals and us humans. Scientists are still investigating the long-term impact of microplastics on human health, but the fact is that plastics are becoming an increasing environmental problem.
Visible success after cleaning up nature, when people see a cleaned section of the river or a removed landfill, can be a motivation even for those who otherwise do not like nature so much. And thanks to meetings during landscape cleaning, they can understand even more complex connections and become long-term volunteers or supporters of nature conservation associations. Landscaping is also a great way to connect with local people if you are a group outside of a particular village or town. A common goal – to clean a piece of beloved nature – can unite people regardless of their age, position or other characteristics.
Is cleaning worth it?
Certainly yes, although the risk of the waste reappearing in the same place can never be reduced to zero. It happens that if even a small pile of garbage appears somewhere in nature, for some people it is like an excuse that the garbage was already there and they just added a little. The average person is reluctant to throw their trash into the clean nature, but they find it acceptable to just add it to something that someone else has put there before them.
Experience shows that a good way to reduce the risk of recurrence of illegal littering is to involve local residents, landowners and local associations in the cleanup. This will ensure that at least one of the locals will have an incentive to call the police or the mayor if they see someone bringing trash to the site.
Sometimes conservationists install cameras in places where garbage dumps are created. However, this can only be done under certain conditions; don’t do it on your own. When you come across photos or videos of people polluting nature with waste, hand them over to the police and don’t spread them yourself, for example on social networks.
What not to forget when preparing for cleaning?
Above all – sometimes less is more. So evaluate your capacities, what kind of cleaning you can provide. You will need a large enough waste container, maybe even a sorted one. You will also need a sufficient number of volunteers. If the cleanup location is far from public transportation, you’ll need to figure out how to get volunteers there. In the same way, when cleaning a larger area or a river, you have to think about waste collection. It has proven effective to determine the places where bags of waste are concentrated, from where volunteers take them, for example, with a car and a trailer to a large container.
It is essential to ensure that
– waste bags (firm, but also smaller for children, possibly colored differently for sorted plastics) – they can be emptied into a container and reused
– gloves (various sizes)
– have disinfectants, a first aid kit and drinking water for each group of volunteers
It is nice if you can provide refreshments for all volunteers after the shift. For example, thick vegetable soup, pizza or home-made cakes will please young and old volunteers after work. Refreshments can also be provided by local people who rarely get directly involved in cleaning – for example, local seniors or a club for mothers with small children. An original reward for participants, for example a badge, a T-shirt or a thank you, will especially please those who don’t participate in cleanings that often.
What to clean and what to leave to the experts?
It is generally recommended to clean up „normal“ municipal waste or illegal municipal waste dumps. What to leave to the experts? Certainly all hazardous waste, food and animal remains (e.g. from poachers), medical waste or asbestos. Document such waste and report it to the relevant authorities, who must ensure its disposal.
Also, if you come across hazardous waste (e.g. containers with oil, paints, electronic waste, etc.) while cleaning up your normal waste, do not mix it with other waste in a large container. It must be taken to the collection yard separately.