Sandringham resident launches anti-litter campaign
SANDRINGHAM – An anti-litter campaign targets schoolchildren.
Vivienne Pivo, a resident of Sandringham, is challenging the public, especially schools, to encourage children to start disposing of waste in designated bins.
Pivo said this initiative would go a long way in creating a clean and healthy environment.
“There should be a massive anti-litter programme in schools to encourage children to dispose of material in designated places,” said Pivo.
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“Learning the importance of anti-litter awareness at school – in respect to caring for the appearance of the environment and in keeping with health and hygiene priorities and the resultant consequences – could encourage schoolchildren to promote the message, by taking it home, thereby influencing others to do same.”
The idea came about when Pivo noticed a little toddler, slightly ahead of his watchful mother, walking towards an already overfilled public bin, and on reaching up on his toes, appropriately deposited his litter.
“This highlighted the fact that little ones are keen to learn the correct thing to do, and therefore, an awareness and conscious habit of ‘not littering’ should be taught as early as possible in the classroom and on the playground.
“In this regard, schools should be approached to ensure that these values are taught at all platforms, particularly as I noticed that some schools are not concerned about the litter their scholars discard outside of school grounds.”
She said while driving around various suburbs, she observed that additional public bins could be placed on main pavements, as well as recreational parks, open grounds and transport stops.
Pivo suggested that companies that manufacture edibles in wrappers and liquids in bottles and tins – which contribute a large part to the litter problem – be contacted with the possibility of either sponsoring or providing public bins advertising their particular brand.
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She said the bins would be accompanied by an awareness slogan citing ‘Please Keep Our City Clean’, ‘Thank You For Not Littering’ or ‘Please Deposit Your Litter Here’.
“The same suggestion could be put forward to the chief executive officers of large retail store corporations, as packets, plastics and polystyrene containers equally contribute to the unsightly litter.”
Details: jacintarose@africangrace.co.za
Edited by Stacey Woensdregt
