PITCH-IN CANADA Week
Planning Tips for Land Pollution Counts

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Ten tips to help you plan your LAND POLLUTION COUNT

Getting Started
 Appoint one person to spearhead the Pollution Count.
This person makes all necessary preparations, ensures that required materials are available, and ensures that all Data Cards are sent to PITCH-IN CANADA for processing.
When.... Try to undertake your Pollution Count during PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK, held at the end of April.
Where.... Ask the obvious questions:
is the site littered? Can you reach it with ease? Is it a safe area? Is it a private or public area? Do you require permission to access or clean up the area? Are there any wildlife which may be disturbed? (watch for nests and consult with your local naturalist club if going into an environmentally sensitive area).

Areas such as vacant lots are often most in need of cleaning. Try to "connect" the debris you find in the area with possible "sources". For example, a land pollution count in a back alley in an industrial area should reflect waste management practices in the business community; a count in a residential area on garbage pick up day should reflect the waste management practices of the homeowners.
Who.... Your group may wish to invite other volunteers to participate. Write a media release and work with the media to help publicize your pollution count. You may wish to purchase PITCH-IN CANADA's 27 min. video "OUR CHANGING WORLD: Cleaning Up the World" to promote interest in your project among media and local groups, schools, neighbourhood groups, etc...and the environmental and visual impact of debris in your community.

for more information about the video click here.
for a suggested pre-event media release click here.
What....
 Our Web Site provides you with data cards and instructions. Please print out the pages you require.

Contact local stores and companies for free garbage bags, pencils and any other supplies which you will need. If you wish to acquire a few specially imprinted PITCH-IN CANADA bags to identify your project then these can be purchased but this is not required to participate.

For more information about PITCH-IN Bags click here. Order early to get them in time!
Safety First! Advise volunteers to dress for local conditions, to avoid injury and overexposure to the sun.
Bring sturdy gloves, hats, sunscreen, sun glasses and drinking water if not available on site.

If you decide to pick up syringes and glass handle them carefully, with gloves on, and put them in a container, not a garbage bag.

Place small red flags near medical waste and glass and designate a special crew to remove these hazards. Avoid walking in areas that may harbour poison ivy, snakes or other wildlife. Don't disturb nesting animals and birds!

Remind your volunteers that safety is first!
Data Collection Complete the data collection cards available from this web site
to provide data about the waste you collect, how many volunteers participated, the size of the area cleaned, bags filled, average weight of bags, total kilograms of waste collected and any peculiar or unusual items found. TAKE PICTURES WHEREVER POSSIBLE! Please provide us with written permission to use these pictures on our Web Site or elsewhere.

Explain to your volunteers that they are important "garbologists" in accumulating data to encourage proper waste handling. Their work could have a lasting impact in the battle against land pollution. Make sure your volunteers understand the important role they play in helping community leaders, individuals, businesses and PITCH-IN CANADA to develop long-term solutions.
Recycling Recycle debris where possible.
Find out where you can take recyclables before you separate the debris!
Getting Publicity Create a media list.
Include all newspapers (dailies and community papers), newsletters, radio and TV stations. Where possible contact the person responsible for reporting on environmental issues. Remember that TV can really help to promote the problem. Give the media lots of advance warning of your clean up and pollution count and follow-up with a call on the morning of your clean up, especially with TV.

Issue a media release. A draft pre and post media release can be obtained by clicking here. It is important that your media understands that your local actions are part of a national and world-wide program.

For more information about conducting a media campaign please click here.
Wrapping Up and Recognition Issue a post event media release and hold a news conference announcing the results of your Pollution Count and PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK Clean Up - if done.

Say "thank you" to those who helped make it happen, including, in addition to your volunteers, any corporate or other sponsors who "pitched-in".

A free, special, Certificate of Participation can be downloaded from PITCH-IN CANADA's Web Site after you have registered your project for PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK. You will be given an opportunity to register your project as a PITCH-IN WEEK project after you have downloaded the Data Cards and other information for your Land Pollution Count.

Additional recognition items are available from PITCH-IN CANADA. To obtain further information about other recognition items click here.

Photocopy all media clippings. If possible, send the original clippings to PITCH-IN CANADA. We will compile a national report showing your achievements.

To obtain your Data Cards for your PITCH-IN CANADA Pollution Count click here.

To Contact PITCH-IN CANADA send e-mail to pitch-in@pitch-in.ca or write/phone/fax. Click here for our address/fax/phone.