Words by Rach Coleman
As many of you know, we take what we hope to be the most comprehensive approach to achieving our mission. Our work spans education, political advocacy, academic research, corporate partnerships, outdoor events more. And though we love all that stuff, and we know how important it all is to creating a trash free future, sometimes you have to go back to the simplest ideas that connect with the most people.
We're thrilled to today (re)introduce you to our Earth Day Spring Clean. Throughout April we want you to mark this international day of environmental action by heading out onto your trails and doing your bit to remove Single-Use Pollution from where you adventure.
You might go solo, grab some mates, or even be up for organising your own community Earth Day Spring Clean. Our DIO (Do It Ourselves) pack is ready to help you get started, with some helpful Earth Day additions to get you going!
In addition, our incredible ecosystem of Community Hubs and A-TEAMers will be hosting Spring Cleans across the UK and beyond! You can see all community Earth Day Spring Cleans that you can join on the map on the webpage.
Never done a Trash Free Trails Earth Day Spring Clean before? Not to worry! It's super simple.
Once you've decided your location and rallied your mates, head out and follow these three simple steps.
REMOVE - Get going and remove as much Single-Use Pollution as you can find!
REPORT - Categorise and count up the trash you've collected, and report it to the State of Our Trails Report.
REWARD - Don't forget to celebrate! You've just made an amazing contribution to protect your trails. Have a slice of cake, a pint, another lap.
Image by Sam Dugon
This year marks our fifth year of Spring Cleaning, and there's one partner in particular we want thank thank. Trek Bikes have been with us since the first Spring Clean campaign in 2019, and with their support we've grown from strength to strength. Keep your eyes peeled for some exciting stories celebrating our partnership, and join us for a ride and Spring Clean in Bristol on Sunday April 21st!
In addition, we're proud to be supported by our partners The North Face and the European Outdoor Conservation Assocation for our second flagship Earth Day Spring Clean on Yr Wyddfa on Saturday April 20th!
Both events are completely free and supported by certified guides. There'll be freebies and prizes at both to reward us for a hard day's spring cleaning!
However you choose to mark Earth Day, do get involved. Spring is here, and with it an inspiring reminder from nature to take action to protect the outdoor spaces you love and cherish. Let's make this the most impactful Earth Day yet!