Clean up the world day

Clean up the World Day is marked every 3rd Saturday of September. This day was first celebrated in Australia in 1990. The success of the celebrations in Australia has led other countries to embrace it and Clean Up the World Day can now be regarded as a global event.
Everyone generates a lot of waste daily. Disposal of waste is a major challenge at individual and municipal level. Most municipalities especially in developing countries do not have adequate capacity to handle waste. Hence liquid and solid waste is scattered in the environment. Poor management of waste leads to negative impacts on the environment such as decline in aesthetics, increased disease prevalence, blockage of storm drains and sewerage pipes leading to flooding, among others.
Clean Up the World Day is an occasion to reflect on our backyards and surroundings and cleaning them up. Some of the activities that one could undertake include planting trees; cleaning the backyards, roads, parks or beaches; conserving water; running environmental awareness-raising and education initiatives among others.
Suggested activities

• Organize a meeting involving local stakeholders to discuss waste management issues. Identify waste generated, quantities, negative impacts on the environment, how its managed, challenges faced and identify actions that could be taken to solve waste management problem.
• Implement activities to address the local waste management problems such as sorting at source, recycling, waste reduction, clean up etc.
• Develop and circulate posters to highlight waste management problem and proposed solutions.
• Compose songs, drama etc on waste management and recite them in public gatherings.
• Write an essay/article on how you celebrated World Clean Up Day and share it on this blog.

For further information, contact
UNEP (www.unep.org)
http://www.cleanuptheworld.org/en
National Environment Management Authority (www.nema.go.ke)