By KELLY CAMPBELL
Increasing volumes of predominantly plastic rubbish are jeopardizing the Gold Coast’s stunning landscape. Plastic pollution is posing threats to the physical environment as well as endangering local wildlife.
The sunshine city is looking to lose its pristine edge due to lacking motivation to be environmentally conscious with common garbage. However, some individuals and groups are spreading an important message, to remind locals what they’ve got at stake.
Plastic has replaced existing natural habitat, here an Australian Satin Bowerbird that has always decorated its ‘bower’ with blue items to attract a mate, is now made of blue lids, bags, packing tape & straws.
Not for profit organizations such as Clean Up Australia are encouraging communities to clean up and conserve their local habitat. The body has held a national day for people all over the nation to pick up rubbish from public places for the past 25 years.
In the latest media release from Clean Up Australia it was described that an estimated 2807 tons of rubbish was collected on the 2014 Clean Up Australia day, in Queensland alone.
Ian Kiernan, Founder of the organisation states that while the event was a success, the broader community needs to take more responsibility for our local environment every day of the year.
Clean Up Australia’s light hearted approach to engaging the community to do the right thing.
Another volunteer based organisation doing the good deed is Take 3. Take 3 formed in response to surfers tired of seeing so much avoidable litter in their beautiful oceans. The ethos behind the name is to encourage the public to take three pieces of rubbish when they leave a public place.
Co-found Tim Silverwood points out that it is not just our views that are being damaged. He describes plastics and other rubbish on the ground as a serious threat to wildlife & in turn the stability of the local ecosystem.
“Currently 265 species have been identified as being directly affected by debris,” says Tim.
He also mentions that a recent beach clean up reported one third of its collection was from the beverage industry alone. This includes packaging such as bottles, cups and straws, which he fears are becoming more prominent on his local shoreline.
While Tim admits Take 3 isn’t the final solution, he explains that the campaign encourages people to adopt a simple habit which starts the ball rolling on a cultural shift away from ignorance.
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