City leaders pledge to pick up litter

Dunedin (Friday 6 November) - A growing number of city leaders are pledging to tidy up our city, following concerns raised at a Dunedin City Forum earlier this year about the amount of litter on our streets.

With more than 30 local leaders already signed up to the ‘Leaders’ Litter Pledge’, Project Co-Ordinator, Councillor Fliss Butcher, says, “We all used to be ‘Tidy Kiwis’ who picked up rubbish when we saw it. It seems people nowadays feel less personal responsibility for the state of our environs and turn a blind eye to litter in the streets believing it to be ‘someone’s else problem’.”

Now city leaders are being enlisted to encourage residents to lend a hand in keeping the city clean.

“We’re forming an army to fight the litter problem throughout the city”, Cllr Butcher says, “Anyone can sign this pledge because anyone who commits to the pledge is a leader in my eyes!”

There is little required in the way of commitment – if you see litter lying around, simply pick it up and dispose of it appropriately. To add your name to the pledge, send Cllr Butcher your name, leadership role and email or street address (in lieu of a signature).

The pledge reads:
“We the undersigned, being concerned about the amount of litter in our streets, parks and neighbourhoods, agree to lead by example and demonstrate how to be a Tidy Kiwi. We therefore PLEDGE to pick up litter whenever it is physically possible to do so and dispose if it correctly.”

A list of those who have already made the pledge is available on the DCC website at www.dunedin.govt.nz/leaders-litter

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