http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.orgScotland's environmental charityKeep Scotland Beautiful: All Rights Reserved.en-gbhttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=65
National Spring Clean is a volunteer camapign run by Keep Scotland Beautiful, empowering people to clean up their favourite part of Scotland. It is a great way of getting your staff together to make a positive difference to an area near you, and to get them working together as a team to collect litter and recyclables that are lying around.

National Spring Clean will run from 1st April - 31st May, but you can register an event now by visiting the Natrional Spring Clean website to Sign Up. Once registered, you will receive all you need to help you plan a fun, safe and successful event.

Last year McDonald's took it apon themselves to sign up every Scottish branch to carry out a clean up which was fantastic, but you don't need to be a big business to take part - even if you have only 2 staff you're guaranteed to have a beneficial experience for your organisation by getting involved, and you will be part of a nation-wide environmental improvement movement - great for PR!

We have set ourselves an ambitious target of getting 200,000 volunteers to take part - a 100% increase from 2011. So far almost 13,000 people have signed up BUT only 6 businesses have registered - we are calling on you to change this!!!

We look forward to welcoming you on board soon!]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=65Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:44:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=64
Protective tabards, stickers for kids, promotional posters and information have all been packaged up securely (and with love), franked and sent off to allow everyone registered so far for National Spring Clean to carry out their clean up event safely and successfully – and hopefully with lots of fun had along the way too! These kits have been flying out of the door (well, the kindly postman has been lugging heavy sacks off, all full with the black and blue parcels) which should be winging their way to you soon.

Please keep registering your events – these can take place any day between 1st April and 31st May to keep our team busy and to stop them getting bored! Visit the National Spring Clean website and Sign Up

Thank you for all of your support.



Join the conversation by using #NationalSpringClean on twitter!
]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=64Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:36:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=63*more*
I was delighted to be asked to attend a reception, hosted by Keep Scotland Beautiful, for international delegates of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Stirling Castle was the venue which, I am shame-faced to admit, I have never visited until now. The evening was inky black, crisp and clear which added to the drama of the setting (although the cobbles played havoc with my “girlie shoes”). On arrival at the Great Hall you cannot help but stare up in awe at the vastness and splendor of the room – even for a born and bred Scot this was a true delight and made me just a wee bit more patriotic than ever!

The international FEE delegates intermingled with the great and the good of the environmental world, who had kindly taken time out to attend the event, came together to celebrate the inspirational climate change work being carried out throughout the world. The celebration also included the 1400th Scottish school (Commercial Primary School from Fife) being presented with their FEE Green Flag and Certificate. It was lovely to see the two representatives accepting the award for the schools hard work.

Keep Scotland Beautiful Chairman, John Harris, warmly welcomed us all and thanked the FEE for choosing to hold its executive conference in Scotland. He then went on to introduce the speakers for the evening, one by one. We were treated to an informative, humorous and humbling speech by the guest of honour, President of FEE Jan Erikson as well as an apt Robert Burns inspired speech from David Wilson, Scottish Government Director of Energy and Climate Change. Mr Wilsons speech was perfect not only for the setting but also for the reason we were all gathered together – whoever would have thought that “To A Mouse” and “To A Louse” would be perfect words from The Bard to highlight the world of climate change and the environment!

Throughout history Stirling Castle has seen many a rousing call to arms - this night was no different. Derek Robertson, Keep Scotland Beautiful Chief Executive, gave a passionate speech on the future vision for Keep Scotland Beautiful to firmly put it on the map as Scotland’s leading environmental charity and “go to” organisation for Government, business and the public. Described as “Scotland’s Best Kept Secret”, Keep Scotland Beautiful has now definitely been “let out the bag”.

The grandeur and history of the venue was not only a terrific setting to network with so many from various environmental agencies, businesses and government, but also the perfect place for the international attendees to sample their first ever haggis! I met and exchanged thoughts and ideas with many new friends and colleagues at the event and hope that the new contacts formed on Friday will continue to grow and flourish over the coming years.

One of the comedy highlights of the evening for me was the 100 meters dash, in the freezing cold, from the Great Hall to the toilet facilities (thankfully not over any more cobbles). The “facilities” were delightfully warm after being chilled to the bone to get there. One of my dining companions was so cold on the journey that her tartan shawl was quickly wrapped around her head to keep out the evening chill - rendering the lady in question a dead ringer for Flora McDonald - much to the delight of the other ladies making the “refreshment break dash” and very apt for such a historic setting!
If only every Friday night was like this one ………



By Isla Valenti

]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=63Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:04:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=62
During the training delegates learnt about the legislation that can be used to tackle flytipping in their area. It's great to get a wide representation from around Scotland, circumstances of flytipping are nearly always the same, but there are often different approaches to how councils’ tackle the problem. This means that good practice is shared which is a valuable element of the training course.

With a lively discussion on a variety of scenarios and the most appropriate legislation that may or may not be used, made for an interesting and fun training session. The feedback that we received suggested that the 'Good practical examples' and 'Group activities' were the most beneficial.

Training sessions are regularly held at our office in Stirling and we can also provide bespoke training courses to be held at a venue of your choice. Further information about our training courses can be found on the People & Places Website or call give me call on 01786 471333 and I would be delighted to discuss your training needs.



By Alastair Alford


]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=62Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:18:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=61
The Larbert and Stenhousemuir Environmental Response (LASER) Group set themselves up five years ago and have actively fundraised; cleared litter; and engaged with the people of the area to try and change behaviour and improve the local environment.

Just a short train ride from our office in Stirling we met with the volunteers from the LASER Group, the company employed to remove the waste, Aquaklenz, and a group of children from Larbert High School, who are working towards their third Eco-Schools green flag. A photo shoot took place with the local paper and we chatted with the community members and school pupils about the work done. Just as well I had eaten my porridge as I needed all my energy to keep my toes warm!

It was clear from our visit that the lade path is important for walkers and cyclists and the before and after photos highlighted the huge improvements that have been made, which they will all now benefit from. There is still work to be done though, and LASER Group members hope to drop leaflets in all the houses backing on to the lade explaining about the clean up and appropriate waste disposal options, to work with the children from Larbert High to carry out a litter pick as part of National Spring Clean, and to attract further funds to improve the path, and enhance local biodiversity.

Although cold, it was a heartening visit, making me realise that people power can make a huge difference. Case studies on all the groups awarded grants through the small flytipping grants scheme will feature in a report to be published in March – we’ll let you know where to find them when it is finished. In the mean time, if you see anyone flytipping, or wish to report dumped waste, please do so by calling the Dumb Dumpers hotline on 08452 30 40 90 or reporting it online at www.dumbdumpers.org.


]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=61Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:03:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=60*more*
Although the main purpose of community litter picks is to improve the appearance of an area, this blog certainly made me think about the benefits of recycling the litter that is collected. I’m hoping that after my recent trip to Estonia I find a lot of aluminium cans on my next litter pick to help offset my carbon impact.

I’m just about to leave the office on my 30 minute walk home – maybe I’ll collect some cans on the way! Check out the Isnomia Blog.




By Donna Wilson


]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=60Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:02:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=59*more*
The team has been working hard to confirm speakers for the agenda and arrangements for the social side of the conference. We’ve had a number of bookings since my last blog, however there are still places available which can be booked at People and Places - People and Places Conference and Awards Dinner 2011, the deadline for bookings is 6th February 2012 - don’t hesitate any longer.

The People & Places Conference and Awards Dinner will be held on 28th and 29th February 2012 at the splendid Crieff Hydro. We have a wide range of speakers confirmed who will cover a wide range of issues relating to local environmental quality. Topics include ‘Pride in Durham’, ‘Managing litter at T in the Park’ and ‘Don’t rubbish Northern Ireland’. Along with a wide range of key note speakers, we also have a range of workshop sessions which will allow delegates to get more detailed and practical information. And if all that wasn’t enough we have the formal awards dinner and ceilidh on Tuesday 28th February to allow delegates to network and celebrate the achievements of our People & Places partners’.



By Donna Wilson

]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=59Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:13:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=58*more*
The next few months are a busy and exciting time for Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Climate Challenge Fund as new projects join us and currently funded projects reveal the impact of all their hard work in their Final Reports

The CCF Development Officers are currently working hard to get all the applications for this round processed and ready for the Grants Panel on the 31st January. Alongside this they continue to support currently funded projects and respond to Expressions of Interest from communities seeking CCF support in the future. If you have an idea for cutting the carbon in your community the CCF is open to applications. To find out more and how to apply please visit the CCF website.

The Community Action and Support Programme (CASP) is a networking and learning events series open to any community tackling climate change and moving towards a sustainable future. We are looking for your feedback on the events CASP ran last year and ideas for the future. We would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to fill in this extremely short CASP survey even if you have not attended any CASP events.

The CASP Events Calendar already highlights lots of interesting events coming up over the next few months and if you are organising something you think communities encouraging sustainable lifestyles would be interested in please email me at caroline.stjohnston@ksbscotland.org.uk and I will add it to the calendar.

One of the most exciting events is being led by the Scottish Sustainable Development Forum (SSFD) and supported by CASP and Adaptation Scotland to bring together a cross section of the community to create a vision for a sustainable future. This will link in to engagement around the Rio Earth Summit happening later this year to highlight the importance communities have in driving their nations towards a fair and just low carbon society.


Best wishes for 2012


By Caroline St Johnston


]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=58Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:27:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=57*more*
Friends, family, hairdressers, shop assistants, ….everybody I met over the festive period all politely listened to me talk (at length!) about Eco-Schools Scotland and how excited I was to be joining the team.

And now, everybody, get ready…because at the end of my first week I still can’t stop talking about Eco-Schools Scotland!

At the Keep Scotland Beautiful office I’ve been learning more about the organisation and I’ve been amazed by the span and diversity of the various programmes - such as National Spring Clean, the Junior Climate Challenge Fund and the Schools’ Global Footprint initiative - and how they interlink to the Eco-Schools programme.

So far I’ve been on three assessment visits and it’s been a joy to see how motivated and enthusiastic Eco Committees, and the wider school community, are in implementing the seven elements of the Eco-Schools programme. I’ve also enjoyed seeing the creative ways in which schools and nurseries are learning about the Eco topics. On my first visit, I was impressed by how confidently the nursery children led me round their garden and proudly told me about the vegetables they had grown and used to made delicious soup.

What I’ve found most exciting this week is that there is lots of innovative and dedicated work taking place in schools and nurseries and I can’t wait to get out and discover it. My wellies and waterproofs are packed – I’m ready for anything!


By Laura Kneale]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=57Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:37:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=56*more*
More than 40 countries where at the conference with the same goal in mind, to gear up for a joint clean up.

A huge number of topics were discussed, including waste mapping, sponsorship, social media and reducing waste. It was really inspiring to hear how other countries encourage volunteers to get involved in clean ups and I was able to share our experiences of our own National Spring Clean campaign.

Keep Scotland Beautiful will be supporting ‘Let’s do it’ this year and I will update you soon with details of our activities.

The conference sessions were really hectic, however there was some time to explore the town of Tallinn and join in with some traditional Estonian dancing and singing (pictures can be found on the KSB Facebook page)

Further information about the ‘Let’s do it’ campaign and details of the conference can be found on the Lets Do It! website.

By Donna Wilson ]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=56Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:19:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=55The Otesha Project UK

Throughout the summer of 2011, I cycled over 750 miles with an amazing crew of young activists from the coast of Northern Wales to charming streets of Edinburgh.
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Along our journey we stopped at 14 schools and youth clubs to perform our version of the Otesha play Morning Choices , ran workshops on a variety of environmental and social issues and got kids thinking about and doing practical actions in their lives that will have positive effects on the world around them.
I felt like a superhero rolling into schools on two wheels with all my gear to sustain our nomadic eco-community for six weeks on the road. Children who we had the opportunity to interact with showed plenty of enthusiasm for our message of low-impact transportation, conscious food choices, ethical fashion style, and our creative communication tools (plays and workshops). Putting a face on the word ‘sustainability’ made this big concept less scary and something that they could tackle as individuals or build strength in numbers.
The youngest children, 7 or 8, were most excited and shocked to learn about the story of an everyday banana; grow in the Caribbean- 5,000 miles away- by people who are unfairly paid, who are exposed to harmful agrochemicals and who don’t have access to medical care, not to mention how far it has to travel to get into our lunch boxes in the UK and what that means for our environment. Getting them thinking about these issues and looking at alternatives - like FairTrade and organic, local, seasonal fruits- were exciting steps with everyday application.
Older kids of 12-17 years were most engaged with our bike maintenance, ethical fashion and media awareness workshops.
The greatest impact of this tour was certainly on my life and the lives of my fellow tour-mates. We laughed, we cried, we worked together, and we learned a fraction of what it takes to build a real solid community with foundations in environmental and social ethics.



If you would like to contribute to our blogs please email Becky Pankhurst or phone her on 01786 477 170.




]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=55Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:42:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=54*more*
The nomination process opened up in December and forms will be accepted right up until the 31st January so there is still plenty of time to get yours in.

There are two ways to nominate email me Kelly Johnstonn or visit our snazzy new Scottish Green List website. All information about nominating and the ceremony itself are up on the website and you can also get the latest news via facebook and twitter using the link below.

Preparations for the award ceremony are in full swing and the evening is shaping up to be fabulous. By tying the awards in with the launch of Mark Edwards ‘Hard Rain’ exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, the event on the 13th March will be a very special evening of celebration for Scotland’s progress towards sustainability.
]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=54Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=53*more*
The conference will be a fantastic opportunity to share ideas, knowledge and experiences about how to organise large scale clean ups.

The conference will kick-start preparations for the clean up actions as part of the World Cleanup 2012 campaign. I’m hoping to share experiences from our own successful National Spring Clean campaign and how we can support World Cleanup 2012 which is taking place from 24th March to 25th September 2012.

The agenda for the 3 day conference is fairly packed, but it looks like there will be some time to experience the Estonian culture - I will update you on the outcomes from the conference when I return.

By Donna Wilson ]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=53Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:56:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=52*more*
But have you ever wished that you could do your recycling bit, when you’re out and about?

Increasing numbers of businesses and local authorities are realising that in order to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, more has to be done.

Recycling on the go facilities are, now, beginning to appear on our streets and shopping centres, in our hospitals, at visitor attractions and in leisure centres. Yet installing appropriate infrastructure can be challenging. And so far little support or guidance is available to local authorities and businesses who would like to get it right.

Thankfully, WRAP and Zero Waste Scotland have decided to host a workshop to work out what challenges are being faced by those on the ground how to better support those adopting the scheme.

If you have information to share, experience of installing, emptying and managing recycling on the go facilities and wish to attend the free event please contact the litter and flytipping team at flytipping@ksbscotland.org.uk for further information, or visit the WRAP website.

The event will be held on Wednesday 25 January 2012 from 10.30 – 15.30 at the Carlton Hotel in Edinburgh,

All the information collected at the workshop will help to develop comprehensive guidance on recycling on the go to assist those considering installing it in the future. Hopefully, this will lead to us all recycling whether we are at home, work or out and about.
]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=52Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:49:00 GMThttp://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=51*more*
It has been an interesting time, as me and the team have travelled the length and breadth of Scotland to pull together a comprehensive report that will enable local authorities to share best practice.

We haven't done it alone of course, our friends in all the local authorities have worked hard to bring it together.

It was not a surprise to me (a self proclaimed litter geek) to find almost all litter was contributed by the general public. Cigarette litter is still proving to be a huge problem despite the excellent provision of litter bins in our town centres.

You can read the full LEAMS Report here and as always you can comment on our social media using the links below.]]>http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/blog.aspx?id=51Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:07:00 GMT