Hubbub

Businesses, residents and organisations situated along five of the UK’s biggest rivers are being invited to join the largest ever collaborative effort to prevent and reduce the amount of litter entering the UK’s waterways, and subsequently the ocean.

The Treasure Your River campaign is being run by environmental charity Hubbub and funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, primary international philanthropic arm. The campaign aims to collect 90 tonnes of litter over the next year  from the  Due to launch in May 2020, the campaign will initially focus on prevention and clean-up activities on five major cities based on these rivers – Bristol, Manchester, London, Cardiff and Edinburgh, which between them are home to 1 in 7 of the UK population.

Treasure Your River which is will educate the public about how rivers are transporting rubbish from our streets and riverbanks to the sea. As well as tackling littering behaviour with engaging bins and eye-catching interventions, the campaign will also aim to educate people about the role rivers play as pathways contributing to ocean pollution. Treasure Your River will engage the public on how they can make a difference through simple behaviour changes such as taking their rubbish home with them, two-minute litter picks and responsible disposal of fishing tackle. The campaign aims to create a legacy for each river, with an army of regular volunteers and litter-clearing infrastructure.

Trewin Restorick from Hubbub said:

“The vast majority of plastics that end up in the world’s oceans are carried there by rivers. Cleaning up the river is one thing but preventing litter getting in there in the first place is really crucial. Until we change behaviour on land, this problem will just continue. Our research showed that 81% of people believe businesses should be doing more to tackle the issue.

We want all organisations along the banks of these rivers to come together and help halt the flow of litter into the sea. Whether you’re a sailing club, a school, a local business, a charity or a resident, we want to hear from you!”

A network of volunteers from organisations including Thames 21, Keep Wales Tidy, Bristol Waste, Mersey Rivers Trust and Changeworks have already signed up. The plan is for the campaign to expand to further rivers and cities in the UK and Hubbub is keen to hear from potential partners in other locations interested in collaborating. Click here to read more.