No more dirt on the street. That was the ambition today in Meppel. More than 1,400 participants from schools, voluntary organisations, sports and neighborhood associations and companies took part in the ‘Clean Meppel in one day’ action day, with the ambition to be free of litter in one day. “With success,” says alderman Jaap van der Haar.
This afternoon Van der Haar also rolled up his sleeves. Armed with a garbage bag and a skewer, he took to the street. By destroying the city in one day, he hopes to provoke good behavior. “You see that people are more likely to throw something on the street if there is already something there,” says the alderman. “If there is nothing there, it goes well, but it seems the fence of the dam as soon as someone leaves something lying around. By cleaning it spotlessly, I hope that people keep things with them until they come across a trash can.”
“This event was a great success,” continues Van der Haar. “It’s unbelievable how much has been cleaned up.” The success is largely due to the enthusiasm of the primary schools in Meppel. All schools took part and the school classes dived into the neighbourhoods. The municipality of Meppel had recruited Sander Gordijn as the face of the action. De Meppeler is a schoolteacher and vlogger on Youtube. He hung out with the students.
“We come across an alarming amount,” says Gordijn. “There is litter everywhere and the children are amazed again and again. It varies from a leaking football to cans and empty drinks bottles. Fortunately, today it all disappears in garbage bags.”
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