Clean Up Australia Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As revolting it is to see this picture, it’s a strong message of warning of how our future will look if  people continue to be so careless with their cigarette butts .

Today Sunday the 4th of March is Clean Up Australia Day.  This initiative started by  Ian Kiernan has now become the nation’s largest community-based environmental event. Now in its 21st year, the event attracts hundreds of thousands of volunteers from the community, schools and businesses to help clean up, fix up and conserve their environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2011, more than 565,631 volunteers across Australia helped to celebrate 21 years of Clean Up Australia. It is estimated that  16,449 tonnes of rubbish were recovered!

“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.

This is the first time I participated and loved the feeling I got every time I picked up a piece of plastic bag, straw or cigarette butt knowing It would not be making it’s way into the bay. It gave me so much pleasure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Mani my husband doing his share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This site was registered by the Port Phillips Eco Center and I loved their idea of building the Cigarette Butts Sand Castle to raise awareness on this very important issue. As small as Cigarette Butts are, they are a big environmental problem. It is calculated that more than 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year.  The residue in the butts contains some very toxic and soluble chemicals. These chemicals add to the existing ‘cocktail’ of environmental pollution (Clean Up Australia 1997). Unfortunately they can also harm innocent wildlife. Butts have been found in the stomachs of young birds, sea turtles and other marine creatures (EcoRecycle 1998).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was wonderful to see people of all ages, families and even pets come along with everyone contributing! I was shocked to see how much garbage we were able to collect on a beach that didn’t look very dirty.  “Australia Clean Up Day” is such a great event it should be copied everywhere around the globe. It is my hope that each day more people become more conscious and actively express love to our Beautiful Planet!