Caring for our Cities & Countryside

Wonderful World

Zero Waste Scotland• Government organisation promoting

“working together for a zero waste society”!

• i.e. 2014 – businesses will be forced by law to separate ‘waste’ for recycling (plastics, metals, glass, paper)…

Summarise• Read the article & reword in

summary form:

1) The damage litter causes (5+)

2) The actions that could be taken to make a difference (4+)

3) The reasons for doing something, rather than nothing… (4+)

4) What are your thoughts?

Undeniable Right• Law based on freedom to do what we like

(pursue happiness)… • EXCEPT where our actions hurt other people• Treat others as you would like to be

treated…• Who is harmed by litter? How?

1) Litter damage• Cost £65 million in Scotland p/a

• That could be 3,095 public service jobs @ about £21,000

Wildlife• In 2007, 69,000 animals killed or

injured by litter• Every year, RSPCA receive over

7000 phone calls about animals hurt or trapped by

litter (tip of the iceberg)…

Visitors…more attractive city

Tourists & customers

Money & jobs

Everyone benefits

Why Not Litter?What is basis for best anti-litter slogan?

1.Improving area increases profit for everyone (visitors = jobs)

2.Sense of satisfaction from making a difference & doing what’s right

3.Looking after natural environment

4.Danger of being caught & fined

5.Realising hurt caused to other people (favourite walk ruined; depression?)

2) Key Factors• How would you tackle the problem?• Summarise the actions that could be taken…? What are the pros &

cons?• Brainstorm actions & strategy…

Keep Scotland Beautiful

Elgin Litter Pick

19th – 20th May 2012 – about 100 volunteers…

More info about Elgin’s battle against litter louts…

Poonarmy

SPICE• Strategic Partnership for Improving

the Community of Elgin

• Representatives from Elgin BID, schools, College, Local Council, voluntary organisations

• Passionate about making area better for everyone

• Organise team litter pick-ups!

Innovation Fund• Government grants for tackling the

problem creatively!

• Moray’s application includes:

• “Butt Pouches” for fag ends

• Street theatre & dance to raise awareness of problem

• Award scheme for schools & businesses which make a difference

Bin Design & Spread

Why Litter Pick…?Your most persuasive reason?•Improving area increases profit for everyone (visitors = jobs)•Sense of satisfaction from making a difference & doing what’s right•Looking after natural environment•Positive activity helps boost health•Volunteering enhances C.V. •Chance to meet other people & fun…

My DIY Disaster

Group Projects• Much can be accomplished alone

• Even more achieved together

• Collaborating effectively turns ideas into realities…

• Your chance to practice & shine

My Biggest Mistake• Trying to tackle problems alone

• Not sharing the struggles & respecting advice of others…

Pay it Forward• Ripple effects

Alert Businesses

Principles• Always polite and courteous

• Highlighting the problem and possible solutions – not telling people what to do

• Encouraging & empowering, rather than complaining & draining…

• Use every possible legal avenue

• More supporters = greater impact

Sponsor a Bin• Local businesses, charities & organisations pay for

bins, emptied by Council, displaying united front against litter & improving brands

• Designed @ Linkwood, Moray College, by CADD students

• £500K funding pot from ZeroWaste Scotland

Education• SPICE in New Elgin

• www.cleanupbritain.org – campaigning to change attitudes

• Sign the pledge to what we can

• See all the celebrity supporters

“Bottle Bill”• Petition for compulsory refundable

deposits on plastic, glass and metal drinks containers (bottles & cans)

• Incentivises recycling & represents better the reality of increasingly scarce resources on our planet (rebalances consumer society)

Govt. Priority• Consultation: “Safeguarding

Scotland’s Resources – A Programme for the Efficient Use of our Materials”

• I.e. minimum 5p charge for carrier bags, laws to reduce waste in making products, awards for businesses who excel in “Sustainability”…

Persuasive• How is language used in an effort to convince readers to take action?

Layout• Well-organised & easy to follow with

subheadings (highlighting key points) & paragraphs (short)

• Graphics & illustrations designed to appeal to wide range of readers and reinforce key messages

• Important words highlighted in bold to make ideas stand out

Word choice• Emotive (emotionally charged) –

“evil” to sum-up harm to people caused by littering

• Conversational & chatty (“cost one quid or two”) designed to emphasise how easy action is & open for almost everyone to do

• Punchy slogans (sometimes with rhyme) i.e. “solution… pollution”)

Well-worded• Avoiding unnecessary offence with

carefully chosen language

• i.e. “we must make sure… dispose of any rubbish properly” (everyone needs to do the legal minimum)

• “we can all do a little or a lot…” – option of volunteering to help kick-start process of change

Direct Address• Talking to the reader – inclusive

• Positive campaign – moving from highlighting harms to all the benefits of making a difference

• I.e. “We are reclaiming and cleaning-up our own communities or green spaces.”

• “do whatever we can”

My PerspectiveWe need a cause or conviction•Unlocks our enthusiasm•Starts to release our potential•Requires encouragement & support•Discover your passion is bigger than merely consuming food, drink or TV – your world has meaning…•Start with the College & classroom!

Audacity of Hope• Do not let the despair, cynicism

and apathy that drags this world down conform you into its mould but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Be the change – bridging the gap from doom-mongering to hopefulness.

Your BPF• Burning Passion Factor - conviction

• What issues & causes are worth campaigning for today?

Sensory Garden• Elgin High 4th year pupils &

members of community work hard to open garden in June 2012

• Attacked by “mindless vandalism” over the summer

• Yet still open!

• Wendy Toner: “absolutely devastated”

Research…• Some audacious inventions

• i.e. penicillin discovered by ‘accident’ growing in neglected petri dish

• What about… telephones, microwaves, the World Wide Web?

• Use the Internet to see why someone once sang, “up from the ashes, grow the roses of success”

Human beings• Do we have a moral responsibility to

not just consume and throw away, but also produce and provide for others, whatever we can, through developing our talents?

• How can we give back to our communities? I.e. volunteering, recycling, reducing waste, looking after our properties & homes…

ServiceI see so many students lost in their heads,

Aimless days followed by sleep on their beds,

They’ve bought the lie they don’t need to try,

Their problems are all someone else’s fault,

Their own needs too complex; minds filled with doubt,

We can give you much help,

But we can’t “gee ya’ a skelp”.

Where will you find drive to bring you alive?

Wake-up, don’t you see,

Laziness is one cause of poverty.

If you’re enslaved to hand-outs, state philanthropy,

When you’re able to volunteer and increase productivity…

What a waste of your wonderful creativity!

So why not find a good cause,

Invest in others – win true applause.

You won’t regret what is offered to serve,

You’ll find real joy - more than you deserve.

Your Action?• So many issues in our world we can

do very little, if anything about

• Here’s one campaign, on our doorstep, where we really can make the difference

• So, what will you do as a result? Remember, it’s pointless just listening & forgetting…

Real Natural Beauty

Websites• For those who want to find out more

• www.litterheroes.co.uk

• www.peopleagainstlitter.org/ - pledge to pick-up at least one item of litter per week & encourage someone else to do the same

• www.letsdoitworld.org/ - World Cleanup 2012 with litter maps…

Videos• BBC documentary – “Litter Wars”

• Litter Louts Fined - BBC

• Jeremy Irons’ version of the “Inconvenient Truth”

• Sea debris entangles & strangles animals – hazardous waste!

• Lake District litter pick-up – trawling the depths to clean the waters…

Wonderful World• Many Christians believe

rainbow in the sky sign God longs to redeem His creation, not wipe out all humankind…

• The Saviour – Christ Jesus (who now works through those who follow His example)

What next?• Volunteering – gardening, litter

pick-up or community bin design!

• Mountaineering – join a local group & explore the Great Outdoors

• Qualifications & portfolio-building – what ways can you certify the work you’ve done