city of london

Visit the #EveryCanCounts Rainbow in Covent Garden for Global Recycling Day 2022

Visit the #EveryCanCounts Rainbow in Covent Garden for Global Recycling Day 2022 2560 2194 Phoebe Kelly

The colourful recycled art installation is spending two weeks on display in the Covent Garden Piazza to celebrate Global Recycling Day 2022.

We’ve partnered with Covent Garden London to bring The #EveryCanCounts Rainbow to one of the capital’s most iconic and busiest locations.

The eye-catching installation, created from over 2,500 recycled cans, will be on display in the Covent Garden Piazza until the 30th of March. The signage surrounding the installation invites people to learn about the infinite life cycle of drink cans and passers-by can also recycle their empty cans in the ‘pots of gold’ at each end of the rainbow.

The #EveryCanCounts Rainbow Arrives in Covent Garden

The installation was unveiled in Covent Garden on Thursday 17th March, ahead of Global Recycling Day 2022 on the 18th. A team of Every Can Counts recycling ambassadors wearing can recycling backpacks also supported the launch of the campaign. The ambassadors conducted face-to-face recycling surveys with people during the first four days of the campaign, helping to communicate the benefits of can recycling and inspire positive behaviour change.

To help raise awareness of the campaign on social media, we’re inviting people to enter our #EveryCanCounts prize draw by taking a photo with the installation and posting it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. A £250 gift card and a Venchi 1kg chocolate egg are up for grabs! Full competition details can be found by clicking here.

What is Global Recycling Day?

Global Recycling Day falls on March 18 each year and aims to promote the vitality of recycling across the globe. It is a day for action, for the world to come together to put the planet first, and to change the mind-set of governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world, to see recyclables as a resource.

Click here to find out more about Global Recycling Day 2022.

The #EveryCanCounts Rainbow in front of St Paul's Cathedral, London

RECYCLE WEEK PART 1: LONDON

RECYCLE WEEK PART 1: LONDON 2560 1707 ChrisUK

Every Can Counts celebrates Recycle Week 2021 by partnering with City of London Corporation to bring a giant rainbow installation to the heart of the capital. The eye-catching archway, created from over 2,500 recycled cans, appeared in Carter Lane Gardens overnight on Thursday 16th September and will remain in place until Thursday 23rd.

The installation aims to inspire more people to recycle their empty cans by highlighting the environmental benefits delivered through can recycling.

In the first three months of this year, the total volume of domestic recycling collected in the City of London was up by nearly 10 tonnes on 2020, as lockdown restrictions made it easier for people to recycle at home.

However, Every Can Counts’ own research suggests that seven in 10 of those in London say they have noticed more litter over the past year, and most of these people believe this is as a direct result of the pandemic.

67% of those surveyed say they take packaging home to recycle if there aren’t recycling facilities in public places, with nearly eight in 10 (78%) claiming that they would recycle more while out and about if there were a greater number of recycling bins.

According to Every Can Counts, more than 30 million drink cans are bought and used each week across London. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable and recycling just one can saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours. If all of these cans were recycled, it would give greenhouse gas savings equivalent to taking more than 30,000 cars off the capital’s roads for a week.

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts, said:

“You couldn’t really pick a more iconic London location than right in front of St Paul’s Cathedral. And the workmanship that’s gone into the installation really is quite impressive.

“The rainbow is our way of reminding people about the importance of recycling cans at a time when the environment is on the agenda, ahead of Recycle Week and in the lead-up to the UN Climate Change Conference.

“Recycling an empty drink can is a small thing that each of us can do for the benefit of the environment, and these small actions all add up. Not only are drink cans endlessly recyclable, but making a can from recycled metal uses 95% less energy and produces 95% less greenhouse gas emissions. We’re here to raise awareness of these significant benefits and inspire more people to make a difference by doing the right thing with their empty cans.

“In 2020, a record four out of five drink cans sold in the UK were recycled, as we spent much of the year locked down at home with easy access to recycling bins. We now want to keep this up as things return to normality, and our goal at Every Can Counts is to continue making progress towards a 100% recycling rate for drink cans.”

Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Environmental Services Health Committee, Keith Bottomley, said:

“It’s fantastic to be part of such an innovative campaign as part of Recycle Week this year.

“For us, promoting recycling and protecting the environment are top priorities.

“Those who work, visit and live in the Square Mile are right to expect a very high standard of environmental sustainability. As a world-leading financial centre, they deserve the best.”

Nickie Aiken, MP for Cities of London and Westminster, said:

“It’s wonderful to see this eye-catching rainbow in the heart of my constituency. It will be a timely reminder to all our visitors returning to the city centre to recycle more and keep our streets tidy.

“I’m looking forward to seeing people share their photos of this impressive rainbow sculpture, while remembering the message behind it. Recycling an empty drink can is one simple thing that each of us can do for the benefit of the environment and it will help us progress towards a truly circular economy.”

The rainbow makes for an ideal photo backdrop, and Every Can Counts is running a social media photo competition offering the chance to win a £250 shopping voucher. To enter, take a snap of the rainbow and upload it to social media using #EveryCanCounts and tagging @EveryCanCountsUK (Instagram/Facebook) or @EveryCanCounts (Twitter). For full competition terms & conditions visit: www.everycancounts.co.uk/recycleweek2021.