March for Clean Water: London’s Fight Against Water Pollution
On Sunday, November 3rd London National Park City staff and Rangers joined approximately 15,000 demonstrators for the March for Clean Water, advocating for the restoration of Britain’s polluted waterways. Organised by a coalition including River Action, Greenpeace, and Friends of the Earth, the event featured participants dressed in blue to create a “human river,” marching from Albert Embankment to Parliament Square.
The protest highlighted public concern over the frequent discharge of raw sewage into rivers, lakes, and seas, with over 3.6 million hours of spills in 2023 recorded last year. This issue has been exacerbated by outdated infrastructure and increased rainfall due to climate change.
0% of England’s Rivers have good overall health
In addition to the physical health risks, activists drew attention to the broader environmental and economic impacts of water pollution. Poor water quality directly affects biodiversity, jeopardising species that rely on freshwater habitats. Furthermore, local economies that depend on tourism, fishing, and water sports suffer when waterways are tainted. The Environment Agency has been criticised for its limited enforcement and insufficient regulatory measures, which have allowed water companies to prioritise profits over environmental stewardship. Activists called for tighter regulations and stricter penalties for companies found guilty of pollution violations, as well as a comprehensive overhaul of current wastewater treatment practices.
The March for Clean Water protest coincides with mounting public frustration regarding regulatory failures and insufficient corporate accountability. Despite previous promises by government officials and water companies to improve infrastructure and reduce pollution, activists argue that little progress has been made.
Notable figures like environmentalist Chris Packham and Olympic gold medalist rower Imogen Grant participated, emphasising the urgent need for government action to address water pollution. The protest called for a comprehensive review of regulatory bodies and stricter enforcement of existing laws to prevent further environmental degradation.
If you missed to speeches on stage then do watch the recording of the Livestream
If You’re Gonna Protest, You Best Bring the Puns
If you’re campaigning against human faeces in waters and riverways then then puns kind of write themselves. I’ve had a long term fascination with hand-made signs, it’s not necessarily the content that amuses me so much as pondering the story that led to its creation.
For me it is the greatest form of folk art and as a photographer something that will always distract my attention at a protest. If you have some time to kill I urge you to spend some of it on Bored Panda looking at 50 Witty, Creative And Fiery Protest Signs For Your Own Amusement or Funny Protest Signs.
I don’t particularly think that humour degrades the seriousness of the issues we are trying to bring light to. In fact quite the opposite is true, puns (and emoji poo costumes) to add levity and memorability to serious causes.
Here’s a few of my favourites from the day, I know I missed so many other good ones so if you have some more to share please join in on this March for Clean Water X Thread
