Getting a grip on litter: a charity’s perspective John Harold Cymdeithas Eryri the Snowdonia Society Getting a grip on litter: a charity's perspective. • Whose litter and whose problem? • Picking up the pieces and behaviour change • gaps in data & novel approaches Whose litter?...and whose problem? Whose litter? Monitro Ymwelwyr PCE 2013 - Cymhariaeth o 450000 holl lwybrau'r ucheldir 400000 SNP Visitor Monitoring 2013 - All upland paths annual comparison 350000 300000 250000 200000 150000 449327 100000 50000 123192 49240 0 Cadair Idris Ogwen & Idwal Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon Whose problem? Whose problem? Picking up the pieces and behaviour change • Snowdon Tidy Partnership • Snowdonia Society, Snowdonia National Park Authority, Natural Resources Wales, National Trust, Bangor University, RAW Adventures, mountain railway etc • Runs on 100% pure goodwill • ‘Action Research’ approach • Co-ordinated efforts on clean-up work – wardens, volunteer wardens, volunteers, outdoor activities leaders • Practical work, research, innovation, and behaviour change intervention Linking people to litter • Quantity • Distribution • Type • Quantity of litter = Number of people x Quantity of ‘waste’ carried mean ‘Behaviour factor’ • Behaviour factor = Experience x Awareness x Leadership x Memory prompts x Environmental stimulus x Waste facilities x Conditions x …..! Gaps in data & understanding • Jigsaw puzzle with most pieces still missing • Real costs of litter – including to charities like Snowdonia Society • Is the mountain environment different? • Is it getting better or worse? • Who do we need to reach? • How do we need to reach them? • Polluter pays principle? • Etc… What contribution do challenge events make? • Example: Snowdon 500 / Welsh 3 Peaks events • Raise awareness & over £1million for prostate cancer research over 7 years • 650 people on Snowdon over weekend in mid-June, including 150 doing Welsh 3 Peaks • Each pays £35/£45 entry and commits to raise >£250 sponsorship • Minimal overheads – volunteer led • £1 per person to Llanberis Mountain Rescue • How effectively guided and prepared are participants? Some novel approaches • Collecting a wide variety of data using different methods • Use of appropriate technology • Using survey activity and survey data to relay messages • Make litter interesting & make litter relevant GPS dataloggers - quick & easy to use LitterLog - open source android app -records litter type and location - developed with Bangor University Bandage Number of items found Confetti Glowstick Bags (Including Supermarket) Cloth/rag 1% Bottels containers and drums - Drinks Shoe lace Miscellaneous 1% 1% Bottels containers and drums - Cleaner Surveys Chewing gum 1% 1% 1% Other Caps / Lids 1% Apple 1% 1% Crisp / Sweet / Lolly wrappers Orange 2% 4% 8% 1% Cutlery / Trays / Straws / Cups andcores Fruit skins Banana 1% Other 4% Fishing net and Net pieces <50cm Lobster / Crab pots and tops Glass Drink bottles Cigarette packet 5% Rope diameter >1cm tte Cigarette butt Cigare Sting and cord diameter <1cm General ng Branded/logo Shotgun cartridges Clothi 13/09/13 Llyn Glaslyn Can tops Strapping bands Tent pegs 13/09/13Toys / PartySummit poppers to Llyn / GlaslynFireworks / Dummies Gas canister 13% 13/09/13Traffic Summitcones Silver paper Metals Walkng pole 15/08/13Plastic Summitpieces <2.5cm 31% Camping gear 15/08/13Plastic Summitpieces >2.5cm to Clogwyn Station Drink can 15/08/13Buoys Clogwyn station to Pen Ceunant Cafe Nappies Gloves (heavy duty) Tissues Carboard drink carton Rubber pieces < 50cm Paper 5% Carboard cup Furnishings Spoons and forks Sacking Camping gear 2% Dog poo bags 1% Drink cans 1% Plastig bags 6% Woodpieces (not twigs etc.) Food wrappers Glass pieces Milk carton 12% 3% Bucket Plastics Drink straw 1% Sponge Drink stirrer 1% 1% Cups Dingy Boat Bottle tops Wax Drink bottles 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Where next? • Fruit peel, attitudes to litter and littering, economics of plastic bottles • Behaviour change interventions – develop simple messages for each audience • Project with Marine Conservation Society on litter mobility - from mountain top to the sea • Using survey and survey results to spread messages and effect change • Engaging directly with activity leaders and charity/challenge organisers Snowdon Tidy initiative - picking up the pieces on Snowdon Diolch yn fawr John Harold Cymdeithas Eryri the Snowdonia Society .