Good Deed Feed Step Up, Clean Up

Keeping our beautiful region clean and actively seeking ways to prevent litter entering our oceans is everyone’s responsibility, and for the next two months the Whitsunday Regional Council is taking the lead by encouraging us all to participate in the Great Northern Clean Up.

This annual project is part of the Clean Up Australia initiative which was started by avid sailor Ian Kiernan in 1990.

He is one ‘average Australian Bloke’ who started a movement which over 20 million Aussie’s have now participated in.

The Great Northern Clean Up is held at a specific time of year, between August and October, to encourage communities who live in the tropics to clean-up the land before the wet season arrives and washes all the litter into the ocean.

When we think of plastic pollution, we usually think of chip packets, drink bottles or straws, but cigarette butts are the most abundant plastic litter item in the world, with up to 8.9 billion butts dropped in Australia each year.

This little but large polluter was reported as being the most prevalent waste material locally by Eco Barge Clean Seas who orchestrated a clean-up earlier this year.

Locals are now encouraged to join the Great Northern Clean Up by making a pledge and posting it online with the hashtag StepUptoCleanUp.

Many Council staff including Acting Mayor John Collins, Councillors Michelle Wright, Gary Simpson, Mike Brunker, Al Grundy and Jan Clifford have made a pledge.

Pledges include teaching children about recycling, stop buying bottled water, carrying a reusable coffee cup and remembering shopping bags.

What’s your pledge going to be?

Whitsunday Regional Council staff pledge to protect the environment

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