An Ipswich mum who founded the national Facebook group Rainbow Trail at the start of the Covid pandemic has launched a new project to tackle littering and climate change.
Crystal Stanley set up the group — which now has over 191,000 members — with her daughter Ariana after being inspired by a similar movement in Italy, where the healthcare system was being overwhelmed by coronavirus deaths.
Having spawned several follow-on projects over the subsequent year, she has recently partnered up with Wokingham-based environmentalist David Lamont.
He was inspired by Sir David Attenborough and his two sons to fund an online community Plastic Free Home in December 2018, which now has over 30,000 followers from over 20 countries.
The Love Nature campaign is asking families to say thank you to nature, in the same way they thanked the NHS last year, by placing a picture of a happy planet earth in their windows.
They are then asked to share these with the hashtag #lovenature.
Crystal said: "We want to promote awareness about climate change, reduce plastic usage, get people to pick up litter — anything which makes this planet better for our children's future really.
"Being out and about more during lockdown people have noticed littering more and we're hoping to educate people on the effects that has on nature."
The mum had been following the work of Plastic Free Home for some time and thought it would be interesting to promote a positive environmentally focused message together.
As parents, I think we share a belief that protecting our children, alongside their happiness and wellbeing, is our number one priority," said Mr Lamont.
"Doing something, no matter how small, to acknowledge and to help address the problem of climate change would appear to fall under that remit.
"The past year, perhaps more than any other, has hopefully reminded so many of us of the crucial role that nature plays in our everyday lives, and of its positive impact on our mental and physical health."
You can find out more information on the Rainbow Trail Facebook group, or the Plastic Free Home Facebook page.
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