‘Keep it clean’ appeal to drive-thru diners
The re-opening of drivethru restaurants in Renfrewshire could cause a spike in the amount of roadside rubbish, a councillor has warned.
Natalie Don is urging residents to keep the region clear of litter as major fast food chains start welcoming back hungry customers following a period of lockdown.
Tim Hortons has now opened both its drive-thru restaurants in Paisley and Linwood, while coffee lovers have been flocking back to Costa at Braehead, with many queuing for hours to get their caffeine fix.
Councillor Don said she had already noticed rubbish starting to accumulate in the area since some outlets reopened their doors and is reminding Renfrewshire residents to take pride in their community as the country slowly emerges from lockdown.
“Since lockdown began there has been a noticeable reduction in the amount of litter on our streets and roadsides,” said
Councillor Don, who represents Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Langbank.
“We have cleaner air and wildlife is flourishing. I really hope as restrictions ease over the coming weeks or months, we might continue this trend.
“However, in the past week, as more shops and food places open, I think an increase in litter is already noticeable. It is such a shame considering the continued effort by our community heroes who are continuing to keep areas clean and tidy.
“People don’t want to see our roads a mess with litter and recently they haven’t been. If any good at all can come out of this devastating situation it would be great if we could put an end to our throwaway culture.”
Keep Scotland Beautiful recently found 54 per cent of roadside litter came from people eating and drinking on the go.
A YouGov poll also discovered just nine per cent of people want things to go back to how they were before the lockdown, citing environmental benefits as a major factor.
Despite concerns about a surge in people throwing rubbish out of their cars, environment convenor Cathy McEwan has thanked community heroes who have kept the spirit of the council’s Team Up to Clean Up campaign alive.
The initiative started in 2017 to encourage residents to rally together and keep Renfrewshire tidy, but many events such as the Big Spring Clean have been cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic.
Nonetheless, scores of residents have used their daily exercise as an opportunity to pick up rubbish and do their bit to keep the region looking spick and span.
Councillor McEwan said: “We want to say a big thanks to all those members of our communities who, despite everything that’s going on, continue to get stuck in cleaning.
“We don’t want anyone risking their lives to pick up litter. However, these groups and individuals have proven they will stop at nothing and as long as they can do so safely and are not breaking any guidelines, I think they deserve our gratitude.”
Since lockdown began there has been a noticeable reduction in the amount of litter