New Working Group is open to “any innovative ideas to help make Sidmouth stand out for all the right reasons”
.
The Plastic Warriors are back on the beach tomorrow, Sunday:
Beach Clean – Vision Group for Sidmouth
.
This is part of a bigger push:
.
Call for ‘bold’ ideas to keep Sidmouth beach clean
‘Broad reaching and bold thinking’ ideas are needed to cut the amount of waste ending up on Sidmouth beach, according to a leading local environmental campaigner. Denise Bickley, chair of the town council’s environment committee, is to lead a working group looking at the issue of litter and waste in the town and on the beach.
Ms Bickley said: “The group will explore ways to improve the entire issue, from creating more of a ‘circular’ economy, to looking at how to improve recycling on The Esplanade and engaging the public, investigating whether deposit schemes would be workable. It will come up with small changes businesses can make to cut the amount of waste going on to the beach, and any other ideas they can think of to be broad reaching and bold thinking.”
The working group may also re-invent the Plastic Free Sidmouth project. It could be renamed Plastic Aware Sidmouth, and encourage other groups and individuals to become involved to make the town and surrounding areas ‘brilliantly litter free, without individuals feeling overwhelmed’.
Ms Bickley said: “We are optimistic we can make some really effective changes with this working group, and would welcome any innovative ideas that individuals may have that might help make Sidmouth stand out for all the right reasons. Contact info@sidmouthplasticwarriors.org if you have a great idea.”
Bold ideas needed to tackle waste on Sidmouth beach | Sidmouth Herald
.
The Environment Committee met up on Monday:
.
Litter and Street Cleansing
Members considered an update from Sidmouth Plastic Warriors who had recently declared
their disappointment with particularly beachgoers and the dropping of litter in large amounts
by temporarily ceasing their clear ups in protest. The Committee expressed their desire for
EDDC to increase the number of litter bins available, particularly in areas where these had
been removed and to increase general street cleansing. It was agreed that the STC contractors
had improved much of the town with regard to weeds but could not be expected cover all
areas which were experiencing an increase in littering.
It was accepted that the litter issue was exacerbated by a minority of visitors and residents
but that something needed to be done to help keep the Sid Valley tidy. Members were
supportive and it was agreed that a renewed campaign to not only help clear up litter but to
help re-educate and change people’s behaviour was needed.
RESOLVED: that a small independent Working Group be convened to help encourage and
coordinate the clearing of litter with EDDC and volunteers and to help re-educate and change
people’s behaviour. Initial Working Group membership to be: Cllrs Denise Bickley and Ian
Barlow with Rachel Perram, Jeremy Woodward, Dave Bramley and Richard Thurlow.
Environment Committee Meetings – Sidmouth Town Council
.
The Working Group hopes to work with Transition Exmouth, who met up earlier at a virtual Green Drinks session;
.
We are all aghast at the littering and anti-social behaviour on the beach since lockdown has eased.
Green Zoom Drinks will explore what we the community can do, to encourage visitors to clean up after themselves.
Beach Clean Exmouth and Plastic Free Exmouth are doing brilliant work organising beach cleans – but should volunteers really have to do this? How can we nip the problem in the bud?
Carol Jay will open with a brief report on Mermaid Action, Catherine Causely will explain No Butts on the Beach, then there will be an open discussion. Please bring your ideas!
Join Community Action against Tossers (Litter Awareness, for Grownups)
.
Here’s some “broad-reaching and bold thinking” on waste:
Lies, Damned Lies, and Recycling | Matthew King
.
photo: Transition Exmouth