Media release beautify - 1
10 November, 2010

Colourful campaign to keep CBD clean

Floral rubbish bags, signs written in moss and colourful flowerbeds adorn the CBD this month. It’s all part of a new campaign to encourage Auckland city businesses to keep the inner city clean and rubbish free.

The ‘Beautify Your City’ campaign launches today (10 November) and is a joint initiative by Heart of the City and the Auckland Council. It runs in the 10 months leading up to the Rugby World Cup.

The campaign centres on educating businesses to put their rubbish and recycling out at the correct times and discourages the illegal dumping of rubbish on the inner city streets.

Hotspots – areas where poor compliance frequently occurs – will be decorated with colourful, temporary flowerbeds and signs reminding Aucklanders not to dump rubbish illegally.

“We expect the flowerbeds and displays to beautify problem areas of the city and act as a visual reminder to businesses and residents of the need to do their bit to keep the city clean,” says Jane Stewart, project manager at Heart of the City.

The usual red, general rubbish bag is being replaced by a vibrant purple pansy print bag while the clear plastic recycling bag is transformed into a bag decorated with a green hedge.

The BIG little city Guides (or Ambassadors as they used to be known), and a team of volunteers from the BNZ bank, are hand delivering supplies of the new rubbish and recycling bags to 1700 businesses together with educational information.

The campaign has three bursts of activity – in November, March 2011 and June-July 2011.

A particular target is those who illegally dispose of their fats and oils from cafés and restaurants, some of whom are guilty of pouring them in to street drains and tree pits.

The disposal of used fats and oils is the responsibility of individual businesses as the Auckland Council does not provide a free collection service for this.

Council compliance officers are monitoring the campaign and issuing enforcement notices where necessary.

“The CBD is the heart of Auckland city and the state of our streets leaves a lasting impression on visitors – we simply must tidy them up for the coming Rugby World Cup. This is a great opportunity to win the hearts and minds of tourists as well as improve the environment for residents and workers,” says Jane Stewart.

Information about the campaign can be found on www.hotcity.co.nz and www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/rubbishandrecycling or by phoning (09) 379 1355

ENDS

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