Why? Litter facts/info:

The effects of litter are many. As well as just looking bad; research has shown that people living in littered areas experience a poorer quality of life to those who don’t. Studies also show that littered areas suffer from increased crime rates and anti-social behaviour.

The environmental effects of litter include:

  • Harm to our storm water systems, streams, rivers and eventually our seas.
  • In the marine environment litter is often found in the stomachs of fish, whales and birds and can eventually kill them.
  • On land wildlife can also become entrapped or die in their attempts to eat plastic bags and other types of litter left to blow away in the wind.
  • Litter also poses a threat to our public health and is often a breeding ground for bacteria.

 

If every person in Ireland picked up just one piece of litter today, there would be over 4.5 million fewer pieces of litter.
If every person picked up 1,000 pieces of litter, there would be 4.5 billion fewer pieces damaging our environment. If you and your friends and family spend just 2 minutes from time to time picking up litter in your own area, you will not only pick up thousands of pieces of rubbish, you will also make a tremendous impact on your community.