A 26-strong team from Petrofac’s Bridge View office, took to the banks of the river Dee for a ‘Litter Pick Lunch & Learn’ with the River Dee Trust as part of its month-long focus on the environment in June.
In just 30 minutes the team collected 20 bags of rubbish of all sorts, improving the health and wellbeing of the riverbanks and their wildlife, and preventing litter from finding its way into the river and eventually the marine environment. The River Dee Trust records the findings from litter picks to monitor the types of pollutants we are facing locally and shares these with a national database.
Claire Fleming, Engagement Officer at the River Dee Trust said: "Petrofac reached out to us after members of its team reported increasing levels of rubbish on the banks of the river while walking during their lunch breaks. A litter pick lunch and learn session is an excellent opportunity to kickstart tackling the ongoing challenge of litter on our riverbanks, and for the Trust to share information on our conservation and restoration work across the Dee and its 17 tributaries.
"As the River Dee flows through the heart of so many of our communities here in Aberdeen City and Shire, we are all stakeholders in its wellbeing. There is a lot of work to be done and the support of the business community is vital to enable the restoration, maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity in the Dee. We are excited to engage with Petrofac and we’re looking forward to growing our relationship and continuing to involve its team in our conservation efforts."
Izabela Caskie, Environmental Manager at Petrofac added: "The litter picking session organised by The River Dee Trust was a great fit for Petrofac – promoting colleagues’ mental health and wellbeing by getting outdoors and supporting our local community. During Environment Month, we focussed on various ways we can make a difference and the session with Claire and Keilidh really resonated with the team, inspiring them for future activities at home and work."
With around 80% of all marine litter originating from land, we need to tackle this problem upstream on our watercourses. Our rivers are home to several iconic protected species, from the Atlantic salmon to the Eurasian otter, all of which are vulnerable to the pollution of waterways
If your organisation is interested in its own ‘Litter Pick Lunch & Learn’ on the Dee or the Don, or you want to learn more about how your business can enable nature restoration right here on our doorstep - helping you to deliver on ESG and CSR commitments - talk to the River Dee Trust today. Contact claire@riverdee.org.