Are you game to litter pick?

Big litter picks are no biggie for the Big Tidy. Especially after hosting 100 young people in Lawrence Hill last summer and 60 Bristol Bears on Horfield Common! But our recent litter pick with marketing agency Fourth Floor was not only big, it also had a twist.

Bristol business levels up their litter pick

As part of the agency’s team day, 63 employees joined the Big Tidy team for a litter pick in Queen Square, Redcliffe. As well making a positive contribution to the community, Fourth Floor wanted to gamify the litter picking process so their employees could get to know each other as they helped bring the sparkle back to Bristol.

The employees split into 6 teams and had to complete a series of challenges before heading off on litter pick routes planned by the Big Tidy team around Redcliffe and Southville. The routes targeted areas that see a lot of footfall and unfortunately, a lot of litter.

After collecting 4 bags of waste each, the teams returned to Queen Square and worked to figure out clues to open a chest of prizes, with the blue team coming out the winners! The Big Tidy team got lots of positive feedback from the volunteers and it was great to see such enthusiasm for keeping our city clean.

How to gamify your litter pick

The Fourth Floor litter pick was just one example of how you can make cleaning up our city even more fun. Here are the Big Tidy team’s top ideas for litter picking games:

Set a time limit

People often tell us they find litter picking therapeutic and relaxing, but why not up the ante with a time limit? Give yourself half an hour to gather as much litter as possible. You might be surprised how quickly you can grab a crisp packet or drink can!

Become a litter scavenger

From clothing to toys to diamante steering wheel covers, the Big Tidy has found it all. Create a list of items you want to collect on your litter pick, for example: 10 bottles, 10 cardboard items, or 10 pieces of single-use plastic. You’ll feel a real sense of pride looking back on what you found.

Oh, the places you’ll litter pick!

Try a new location that you’ve always wanted to visit. Perhaps you’ve never litter picked north or south of the river. Bristol offers lots of green spaces and cycle paths that sadly get littered and helping outside of your local area is a great way to feel connected to our city.