It’s one of the most disappointing sights in the city: Waking up early on a Saturday morning and heading into the Bristol city centre, only to see bucket-loads of litter strewn across the streets. On Baldwin Street alone, visitors drop over 500kg of litter a week. In a single night, that can be as much as 90kg.
For visual reference, eco-artist Wren Miller’s giant wave of litter currently sitting on Bristol harbour is made with 90kg of waste. If every Bristolian picked up after themselves, then we’d easily have one of the most beautiful cities in the country. And a recent anti-litter campaign agrees.
Bristol City Council and Hubbub launched Bristol’s Binning in early November to encourage locals to pick up their rubbish. You’ve probably spotted their eye-catching bins about town, featuring bright colours, song lyrics, gaming motifs and playful puns to instil Bristolians with a sense of city pride.
Now Bristol’s Binning is increasing its efforts with the help of local businesses. The biggest of these is McDonald’s, who are trying to make it a little easier and more fun for residents to tackle litter. The fast food restaurant has earmarked £5,000 for people who dispose of their litter in areas around the stores and of Bristol.
How can I win with McDonald’s Bristol’s Binning campaign?
- Download McDonald’s free-to-use prize draw app, LitterLotto
- Take a picture of yourself binning litter or recycling
- Upload the photo to the app to be in with a chance of winning prizes from £5 to £250.
That’s not everything, however. On December 13, between 12pm and 2pm, McDonald’s is asking locals to join staff at litter hotspots close to the stores. McDonald’s will not only reward litter-pickers with free coffees (and a cleaner Bristol), but also the chance for cash prizes through the app Litter Lotto. If you’re interested in getting involved head here.
“Tackling litter in our communities is really important to me and to my team, and we carry out regular litter patrols from all our restaurants,” said McDonald’s franchisee, Mike Geurin. “But we want to go further, tackling the problem head on.”
To learn more about Bristol’s Binning head here.