Highland Council Backs Scotland Is Stunning Campaign

2nd June 2021

The Highland Council is supporting the second phase of the national award-wining Scotland is Stunning - Let's Keep It That Way litter prevention campaign.

First launched last year to coincide with tourism re-opening in Scotland, the campaign by Zero Waste Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish Government and Keep Scotland Beautiful, aims to raise awareness of the harm done by littering, encouraging Scots to change their habits by taking their litter home or binning it.

Scotland is Stunning – Let’s Keep It That Way aims to encourage people in the Highlands who are eager to go out and enjoy Scotland’s natural beauty and wildlife to bin their litter or take it home with them.

The Leader of the Highland Council, Councillor Margaret Davidson said: "Scotland really is stunning and this such a fantastic and worthwhile campaign to be a part of, we’re so passionate about preserving our beautiful Scottish countryside. We are looking forward to getting everyone involved and raising awareness. It’s all about reminding everyone out and about enjoying themselves to leave wherever they go exactly the way you found it."

The Chair of the Council’s Communities and Place Committee, Councillor Allan Henderson added: “Litter isn’t just an eye sore – it harms our wildlife, contributes to the climate crisis and impacts on our health and wellbeing. Each year the Council spends over £2 million on cleaning up litter, money that could be much better spent investing in our local communities and improving the road network. The campaign message is simple - to make sure everyone can enjoy our parks, beaches, hills, woodlands and countryside, after you leave, please put your rubbish in the bin, recycling it if you can.”

As the country takes another step back to normality, rural and green spaces and urban parks are expected to see a flurry of visitors in the coming months, raising concerns about littering. In fact, most people in Scotland are concerned about litter levels in their local area, with research carried out by Zero Waste Scotland indicating that a majority (89%) see it as a problem in their area. Recently, a third (34%) of the population have seen an increase in litter since the pandemic.

Barry Fisher, CEO, Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “We know from our work with communities across Scotland that most people want to do the right thing and take action to make all of Scotland stunning again. Our evidence shows that we’re facing a looming litter emergency across Scotland, so we’re delighted to support this campaign. We all can, and should, do more to tackle litter. And while some people need to change their behaviour, thousands of people have pledged to litter pick as part of our Summer Clean this month, helping them turn their anger into action.”

To support the campaign and encourage others to do the same, please download the campaign toolkit, or visit www.managingourwaste.scot/litter (external link) for further details.