Oh we do love a 21st century acronym. Jauntily titled, #FFSFDN, is Hubbub's latest anti-litter campaign, aimed at 'tidy litterers' around the Thames, who leave coffee cups and newspapers politely next to overflowing bins or on the side of the river bank - which ultimately end up as part of the 300 tonnes of litter dredged up every year.
Georgina Wilson-Powell
Mon 22 May 2017
For Fish's Sake (#FFS London), Hubbub has come up with some tongue in cheek ways to remind people not to drop litter by the Thames including stickers over storm drains that look like fishes' mouths and interactive voting boxes where you can stick rubbish or cigarette ends. There's also a Cabinet of Curiosities where you can see the random assortment of crap that has ended up in the Thames, including an engagement ring box, a rollerblade and a love letter to poet Kate Tempest.
Think twice about dropping litter down here
“The amount of litter that is entering the Thames is increasing and it’s coming from all parts of the city. This new research found that seven in ten of people think that the Thames is too polluted for fish to survive, but there are actually 125 species living in this river that need protecting. Litter in both the river and the ocean is breaking down and being eaten by and harming birds, fish and other species," says Robin Mortimer, chief executive of the Port of London Authority. “The typical city rubbish – small pieces of litter such as travel tickets, food wrappers, disposable crockery and cigarette butts – are a particular problem. They are less likely to make it into a bin and once they’re in the environment, they’re harder to retrieve."
Snorkellers highlight the 125 species that live in the Thames that don't want your rubbish
Out of 1,000 Londoners interviewed, over half admit to squeezing litter into bins that are full or leaving it nearby, but 80% think it's unacceptable when other people do it. The campaign asks people to think about where it ends up and not to take litter home rather than leave it where it can blow or wash into the Thames.
