Sunday, November 23, 2008

Close to 20,000 people participated in the nationwide annual Clean Up Fiji campaign yesterday.

There were about 50 new cleaning teams this year with a total of about 300 teams nationwide with schools and youth groups being dominant at many sites.

"You are part of the solution, not the problem. Our aim is to pick up more and encourage people not to throw. We are now picking up less compared to 12 years ago but a lot more needs to be picked," said Clean Up Fiji chairperson Caz Tebbutt Dennis.

Plastic bags and plastic bottles were the most common items picked by the cleaners.

Stacks of recharge cards were the new items collected this year.

Unusual pieces of rubbish found included underwear, condom wrappers, baby diapers and old shoes.

Clean Up Fiji is a community based organisation that enjoys sponsorship and support from a community base.

In Lautoka, more than 400 people of all ages and walks of life took part in the clean-up.

Businesses organised employees and volunteers for the initiative.

Amalgamated Pest Control director Mohammed Tazim said the activity was about giving something back to the community.

Mr Tazim brought his 15 employees and their families to clean up around the Lautoka Hospital.

He said they chose the hospital because it was one of the most important locations in the city.

Officers and relatives of Lautoka police officers were at the hospital helping cleaning the surroundings.

Walking around with a sack and gloves picking up rubbish was an awesome experience for six-year-old Usaia Cama.

"I want to clean up at the hospital because everyone comes here when they are sick," he said.

Article reproduce courtesy of Fiji Times Online - http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?ref=archive&id=106935