Council chiefs have issued a ‘don’t litter our parks’ plea as restrictions regarding social distancing and gatherings start to ease over the next few months.
With up to six people or two households being allowed to meet outdoors from next Monday (March 29), and also the summer months fast approaching, there is the potential that visitor numbers may increase even further.
With this in mind, over the coming weeks, signage and banners will be installed at a number of the city’s 63 community parks – including sme in West Leeds – as part of a campaign reminding visitors why it is so important to keep green spaces tidy and not to leave litter.
A similar initiative undertaken by the council in conjunction with Keep Britain Tidy was held last summer, and the council is hoping for similar success this year.
The campaign will promote the message that whilst enjoying the parks on offer, visitors should always respect the green spaces and try to take their litter home. If this is not possible, they should at all times ensure that their litter is put in a bin or disposed of in another suitable manner.
Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and active lifestyles, said:
“With visitor numbers generally up at all of our parks and green spaces over this period, we have also unfortunately seen a general rise in the amount of litter.
“Parks and green spaces are for everyone to enjoy and litter not only makes them look unsightly, it can also be potentially dangerous to animals and wildlife. We are therefore asking people to please ensure that any litter they have is taken home or disposed of properly and appropriately. We will be supporting this important message with banners and signage.”
Don’t litter anywhere! It’s not acceptable! Whether in parks or in country lanes or in the city centre. If you walk somewhere you have carried your litter there, so take it home with you, especially if bins are full. Equally if you go somewhere in a car, take it home in your car! You brought it in some way so you can just as easily take it back home in exactly the same way and recycle or dispose of it in your own bin. I saw a couple sat in their car on a lovely country lane, farm track last week eating a MacDonalds in the back of their car. A week later when I walked past there, guess what, they had thrown all their litter out of their window into the lane. Do they have a brain!?! I picked it up with spare bags I carry round with me and took it home and put it in my bin. We are destroying this planet not just for animals but for us! Time is running out morons!