Over 600 volunteers from Gibraltar will join an estimated 35 million volunteers from 120 countries to take community based action to help protect the environment for future generations as part of the Clean Up the World Campaign on 19th and 20th September.

The Environmental Safety Group is a member of Clean Up the World, one of the largest community based environment campaigns in the world, and together with several volunteers is organising various activities to promote these issues on the Rock. To launch the campaign locally an exhibition is being opened today, 14th September by Lady Mayor Olga Zammit.

The exhibition will remain open throughout the week and over the clean up weekend itself; a weekend that will see a parade involving several local schools, a street exhibition with music and activities, all promoting the good work by local volunteers who will be cleaning up our green and marine environments from waste and litter.

Janet Howitt from the ESG urged the community to get involved in the planned local activities.

“As part of the Clean Up the World campaign, our volunteers will be highlighting the chronic nature of fly tipping and littering on the Rock and why it continues to be necessary for such widespread clean ups to take place. The several tons lifted will hopefully send a strong message once again to the community that much remains to be done on this issue.

While the 4 years of the campaign locally has seen improvements begin to take place in Gibraltar we still see degraded areas and attitude by a sizeable minority which needs alternative actions.

These could include better facilities, fining and enforcement, need for litter wardens, signage and continued improvement in facilities provided by the authorities. Also necessary is a sustained information campaign by Govt to promote the importance of these issues and promote positive behaviour towards our surroundings in general. Disposing of waste is also very harmful to the environment and climate change and so a sustained campaign to encourage a “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” approach to our day to day lives is also important. The creation of a modern waste facility park, or Eco-Park on the Rock would also be of great benefit to improve the overall situation and facilitate grouping of different waste for onward recycling.”

“Taking action in our own community will not only benefit our local environment but we’ll also be helping the rest of the world address, and limit the impacts of climate change.

“We need the support of as many people as possible, it’s more important than ever that we take serious action to reduce the causes of climate change for the sake of our future generations.”

Clean Up the World founder and Chairman Ian Kiernan AO* sent a message of support to the local volunteers participating in the Clean Up the World campaign.

“Volunteers from Gibraltar will be making a valuable contribution not just to their own communities but to the rest of the world as well. At a time when global action on climate change is needed, every local action helps make a difference.

“Congratulations to all CUTW Volunteers from Gibraltar for being a leader in the local community and for being a part of the solution on climate change. Unity is important when it comes to addressing the causes of climate change. Each of us can make a difference. When we work together the benefits are even greater.”

Volunteers around the globe will take part in a range of activities as part of the Clean Up the World campaign, from tree plantings to nationwide clean ups.

The activity in Gibraltar has been supported locally by the Bonita Trust, Open Day Trust and Hassan’s as well as: Rotary International, Interbuild, Image Graphics, TGWU, Master Services, Tarik Shipping, We Care, and many, many others will also be supporting the clean up with equipment and services.

Clean Up the World started in Sydney, Australia in 1993 and is held in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The campaign brings together non-government organisations, community groups, schools, governments, businesses and individuals to undertake activities to improve water quality, clean up local streets, parks, waterways and forests and educate children about the environment.