Clean Up Australia Day
March 1, 2009
Every year, from Perth to Penrith, hundreds of thousands of Australians get stuck in and clean up their local environment by collecting and removing rubbish on Clean Up Australia Day.
In 1989 an 'average Australian bloke' had a simple idea to make difference in his own backyard - Sydney Harbour.
"Simple, easy actions can protect the health of our water resources and help save drinking water supplies. There is not one individual who cannot help to make a difference to the health of the environment"
Ian Kiernan AO, Chairman and Founder, Clean Up Australia.
Ian Kiernan's vision is an apolitical, non-profit community campaign in which everyone can participate.
Clean Up Australia Day is fun, easy and everyone can get involved. Individuals and local groups can either organise a Clean Up site or volunteer to join an existing site. Outlined below are the steps required to conduct a Clean Up site:
- Select a site in your local area. It could be a park, waterway, bushland - anywhere in your local area. Local councils may also be able to assist you in identifying a potential site in your local area.
- Register your site with Clean Up Australia via our website. We will then send you Clean Up Australia Day Kit containing refuse bags, gloves, posters etc and a "Site Guide" booklet outlining everything you need to know about conducting your site.
- Organise rubbish collection through your local council. Many councils coordinate the collection of rubbish from the day so a courtesy call to the local council to confirm that they are providing this service is advised. For sites conducted on other dates, site coordinators need to liaise with councils regarding the possible collection of rubbish or make their own arrangements for disposal.
- Promote your Clean Up site to attract volunteers.
- In addition to the kit material received from Clean Up Australia, organise any other equipment you may require.
- Conduct a site inspection and ensure you have implemented any risk controls. For more information on risk control, refer to the "Site Guide" booklet included in your kit.
- Hold your Clean Up event.
- Report back to Clean Up Australia on your site activities.
Clean Up Australia - The Facts
- Australians are among the highest producers of waste, per person, in the world.
- An estimated 7 billion cigarette butts end up in Australian waterways, streets and parklands each year.
- 80 million plastic bags are dumped in Australia each year - creating a serious threat to our precious marine life.
- 33% of all items collected on Clean Up Australia Day 2007 were plastic - recycling one tonne of plastic saves enough energy to run a refrigerator for a month.
- Recyclable material makes up almost 80% of total household waste in Australia.
- To date, Clean Up Australia Day participants have collected over 200,000 tonnes of rubbish - that's 4.7 million household wheelie bins!
Source: www.cleanup.org.au
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LABOUR DAY
Monday 9th March, 2009
Labour Day weekend is the perfect opportunity to go camping. It costs nothing to camp in designated free bush campsites. Take your own water, generate electricity using solar panels or use gas lights, solar showers, campoven cooking, toasting marshmallows over the fire, friends and family around the campfire telling stories, playing games, fishing, skiing...whatever takes your fancy. It doesn't need to cost money. And remember to take your rubbish home with you and leave the area as you found it.
Go and watch the local Labour Day march or check the community events section in your local newspaper, or online, for family fun days which usually include kids activities, sporting competitions and free entertainment. And don't forget to check the towns surrounding your area for free events.