According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average Australian creates just over 2,000kgs of waste each year. 

Whilst we’re winning at recycling, far too much litter ends up strewn across our beautiful countryside and beaches. The main culprit is plastic, durable and very slow to degrade it is ultimately waste with staying power. 

According to Greenpeace 30 per cent of the world’s turtles and 90 per cent of seabird species have now ingested plastic debris. One of the serious offenders is plastic bags. Australians use around four billion plastic bags every year and an estimated 50 million of these end up in our waterways and ocean.

Environmentalists are also warning disposable coffee cups are fast on their way to becoming a major pollution hazard, with an estimated one billion used each year in Australia it’s not hard to see why. 

How you can get involved

Held on the first Sunday of March each year, Clean Up Australia Day encourages people to clean up their local areas highlighting some of the most polluted sites.

This is a great opportunity to bring family, friends, neighbours and colleagues together to take action to protect your local environment. 

All you have to do is register your location, grab your volunteers and have fun on the day.

According to Ian Kiernan AO, chairman and founder of Clean Up Australia, 2018 Clean Up Australia Day is the time to take responsibility. 

“The key is stopping litter becoming rubbish. If everyone took responsibility for the small stuff, it wouldn’t steamroll into the environmental disaster we are facing in the state of our oceans and waterways,” said Mr Kiernan. 

“We can all play a part by simply caring for our local environment.” 

If picking up rubbish is not your thing, there is another way you can get involved. 

Clean Up Australia is owned by the community and in 2018 all Australians are urged to support participants by either sponsoring a site or donating via the website or Facebook. 

All monies raised are allocated to the purchase of materials provided free of charge to community, schools and youth groups across the nation – all year round. 

“Don’t delay, get your mates together and register your site now, because when the rubbish is gone nature can carry on.”

To register your clean up site go to cleanupaustraliaday.org.au.