Litter Picking Walks
Contours Holidays set out on two litter picking walks, around Carsington Reservoir and the hills around Elton, to do our bit for the environment.
Litter Picking Walks
https://contourscycle.co.uk/litter-picking-walks
by Gosia Giernalczyk
It is common sense to look for a bin every time we produce a piece of litter, and to make sure that we leave a place clean and rubbish-free. And yet, it is not a secret that the world struggles with the overproduction of plastic and environmental pollution. We see pieces of rubbish everywhere, which is sad, but at Contours Holidays, we are trying hard to do something about it.
Personally, I want to believe that there is increasing consciousness about the environment, and, in the coming years, we will see more and more ecological initiatives encouraging people to act and try to keep their local areas clean. To be able to enjoy nature and to let it blossom, we would not like to see piles of litter along roads, in the fields, in the forests and in meadows.
On this note, Contours Holidays decided to organize a litter-picking walk on Friday 4th of April. We divided into two teams. The first one was going for a two-mile walk nearby Carsington Water, and the second one was going for a bit longer, a six-mile route around Elton village.
We were ready to act and prepared litter pickers, gloves and bin bags for this “Litter Picking Day”. Even one of our office dogs — Jesse — and Contours mascot Croutons joined us. The sun was shining, and it was wonderful to be able to spend some time together doing something useful for our local area.
The first group left the office early in the morning and travelled to Carsington Water, which is a reservoir situated between Wirksworth and Kniveton in Derbyshire. The reservoir is famous for providing a unique space for recreational activities like walking, running or even sailing. There is a visitor centre and a large car park. All the facilities and multiple options attract many tourists every year, especially from spring onwards.
The morning team rapidly started to send us some updates and photos, letting us know that they had found more and more varied types of rubbish, some of which were rather surprising to see. Equipped with gloves, litter pickers and bags, they were able to collect four bags of rubbish, which seems to be a significant amount considering only a few hours were spent there.
The Carsington Water team worked very hard to clear as much litter as possible, and it was a busy morning for all of them.
When our morning team returned to the office, the afternoon team was ready to start the journey to Elton, which is a small village in the Peak District, located near Robin Hood’s Stride, which is an interesting rock formation. After a short, 15-minute drive to the village, we were ready to start collecting litter.
Pieces of plastic and paper in many different shapes and forms were a common sight. Some of them were covered in dust, and it was not that easy to collect them.
At one point in the day, we were trying to take down a big plastic bag which was stuck on the top of a tree. It was not an easy job, but in the end, we managed to get it. Phew!
The area where we were walking seemed to be a bit cleaner than Carsington Water, although at the end of our walking afternoon, we had two bags full of litter.
The time we spent together cleaning beloved footpaths and natural areas was precious; it is a nice feeling to be able to do something together and try to make a difference. Of course, it would be fantastic to believe that nobody will leave litter in natural reservoirs and protected areas.
Sadly, we still see litter even in the most beautiful locations of the world, and we should try to make a difference by collecting it. A litter walk is such a wonderful idea for spending a nice day out and doing something useful together. We are happy we could do it, and you can head out too! By taking an action together, we can make a difference.
If you need an excuse to head out or a firm date for your diary, World Cleanup Day is a global program, created in 2018, encouraging people to take collective action and raising awareness about environmental waste management.
The day is held annually on 20th September, when millions of people all over the world gather to clean their local areas. The program gains more volunteers every year.
In 2023, World Cleanup Day had 19.1 million participants, which is a very impressive number. The organization is hoping to encourage 5% of the global population of the world to be a part of the program, which is the goal for the years to come.
Database Team Manager
Organises database team work. Google Maps and research enthusiast. After work you can find her learning salsa and bachata on the dance floor, enjoying nature and architecture on a walk, or watching a movie at a small cinema with big vision.
