Many will remember last year’s clean up undertaken by several hundred Gibraltar residents who between them managed to extract close to 40 tonnes of rubbish from our seabed and green areas. It was an effective way of highlighting to the community at large that littering and dumping is a chronic and serious problem in Gibraltar, and one that must be tackled for a variety of reasons: safety and hygiene, aesthetics, restoration of green areas as wildlife habitats as well as natural recreational areas for families.

The ESG can confirm that this year, we have even more organisations on board and we look forward to working together as a community to raise public awareness of these issues and the environment in general.

The ESG considers that a sustained public campaign against litter, enforcement of anti-litter laws to discourage offenders; provision of more bins designed to withstand interest from apes and seagulls; and recycling- would begin to address these chronic problems in a responsible manner. CCTV cameras should be set up in the hotspot areas in Gibraltar. The rights of the individual applies across the board and especially to those who want to enjoy a peaceful and clean environment and can’t because of the destructive actions by some which we all witness but can only silently condemn.

The ESG would like to hold a meeting post the clean up weekend with a few CUTW reps, Ministry for the Environment, Commissioner of Police, Environment Agency and Master Services to recommend the urgent need for action by all to make long lasting changes in Gibraltar’s environment.

In the meantime, the ESG hopes that the weekend will be prove to be enjoyable and rewarding for many. Saturday morning will see several hundred walk up Main Street under the Clean up the World banner, sending out a strong message from the heart of Gibraltar that many of us care about our wonderful environment and that more must be done to reduce the damage we are inflicting upon Mother Earth. Banners about littering and recycling and other colourful posters will be produced. Parade will form at Casemates at 10.00am and will begin to move up Main Street, as far as Cathedral Square. After which Clean up teams break away and begin to clean and the younger folk continue up Bomb House Lane, onto Main Street and finish off at the Piazza.

Displays on the environment, the clean up, and some activities will be set up here. Music will be played and schools will sing a few songs about the environment.

The ESG hopes you will be able to support us this year be it in the clean ups, parade or exhibition. See you there!!