National Cleanup Week
12 to 17 September (South Africa)
Launched in 2007, National Clean-up Week was first celebrated under the theme “Wake up & clean up - working together for a cleaner and safer South Africa".
National Cleanup Week encourages South Africans to take care of themselves and their environment by cleaning up the areas where they live. But more importantly, it should encourage everyone to practice a healthier, cleaner way of living - the article in this link proposes a "new-style celebration" with no labour or cleanup costs. It calls for us to focus on improved health, cleaner surroundings and a reduced community footprint, for example, by:
- Promoting zero waste: snack bars and take-away venues can reduce waste by serving only healthy and nutritious foods in compostable paper (instead of junk food in plastic/polystyrene containers). Conduct an audit of what they serve at present ... and suggest where they can make changes.
- Promoting "prevention is better, & more fun, than cure": ask potential sponsors to support activities that help change community habits, instead of cleaning up after their littering.
