The recent Upstream Battle Week of Action got off to a tremendous start in East Dunbartonshire as volunteers collected 30 bags of litter from Campsie Glen.
The area was chosen by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful as the scenic backdrop for the launch of the next phase of its high profile Upstream Battle campaign to highlight and tackle plastic pollution in and around our waterways.
Since the campaign was launched in April, there has been a wealth of additional clean-ups involving East Dunbartonshire Council officers and dozens of 
enthusiastic volunteers.
Earlier this month, operatives from the Council’s Greenspace and Streetscene team, along with almost 50 volunteers donned their gloves and collected bottles, cans and other litter from Campsie Glen. In addition, various bulk items were removed including three folding camping chairs, an office revolving chair as well as a car tyre.
Campsie Glen is in the upper reaches of the River Kelvin, a key tributary of the River Clyde and the litter collected from there could have ultimately ended up in the sea.
Among the volunteers was acclaimed 
ocean rower and Upstream Battle ambassador Elaine Hopley, who in 2017 became the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic in an open-class boat.
Councillor Susan Murray, Vice Convener of East Dunbartonshire Council’s Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets committee, said, "We are delighted to have taken part in last Saturday’s clean up event to launch the Week of Action. The response to the Upstream Battle campaign across East Dunbartonshire has been very enthusiastic and has included school pupils organising litter picks and community groups coming out in all weathers to assist Council officers.
"Many thanks again to all who have given their time to help fight the scourge of plastics pollution in our waterways. We hope that this week’s events will inspire even more people to get involved."
Paul Wallace of Keep Scotland Beautiful said, "Keep Scotland Beautiful would like to congratulate all the volunteers and East Dunbartonshire Council employees who have supported or organised an event as part of the Upstream Battle Week of Action.
"By sharing the messages that a drinks bottle or crisp packet carelessly discarded on our streets has a fair chance of ending up in our rivers and polluting the ocean, and by removing them upstream, collectively we have all taken action to ultimately protect our seas and marine life."
During the Week of Action, pupil’s art work inspired by environmental themes was also on display at the New College Lanarkshire Kirkintilloch Campus and regular litter picks took place in schools and communities.