An environmental clean-up and rubbish collection initiative entitled “Let’s do it 2009” was undertaken in Lithuania. Participants in the initiative collected rubbish in Lithuanian cities and villages, the most picturesque natural sites, water body surroundings, regional parks as well as remote areas. Lithuanian people showed great enthusiasm for the clean-up initiative. Both pre-registered and non-registered residents actively participated in the initiative, cleaning up the environment of settlements and residential areas.
Almost 30,000 Lithuanian volunteers registered for the initiative "Let’s do it" this year. However, according to preliminary data provided by the organisers, the event was attended by some 45,000 people all over, who collected approximately 10,000 tons of waste.
According to Gediminas Kazlauskas, the Minister of Environment, who took part in the initiative, the purpose of this initiative is to not only collect as much rubbish as possible but also foster civic awareness and environmental-mindedness. "By taking part in this initiative, we hope to once again draw the public’s attention to the issues of environmental protection, waste separation and recycling, which are becoming increasingly important," the minister said.
For the first time, this year`s initiative included waste separation: plastic and glass containers, waste metal and other rubbish were collected separately. Participants in the "Let`s do it" initiative brought large quantities of tyres, old furniture, clothes, construction materials and other waste polluting the environment to indicated waste collection sites.
The idea of organising "Let`s do it" or "Teeme 2008" was raised by a group of Estonians. On 3 May 2008, they managed to bring together over 50,000 volunteers to Estonian forests and fields and collect some 10,000 tons of waste in one day. On the same day, "Let`s do it 2008" was organised. This year, the organisers of the international initiative "Let`s do it" invited not only Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian but also Russian, Polish, German and Finnish people who care for nature.
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