A growing number of Wollongong residents are taking matters into their own hands, using the pair they were given to pick up rubbish around their local environment.
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But it’s never enough to hold back the tide of plastic rubbish, which has been described as “one of the largest systemic environmental issues of our time”.
In three weeks Illawarra environmentalists will join in an international event called World Clean Up Day.
Now in its tenth year, the worldwide hands-on clean-up is organised by Junior Chamber International, a network of young people dedicated to improving their communities.
The Wollongong event will be a cleanup at North Beach from 9-11.30am on Saturday, September 15.
It is being led by the JCI Illawarra group, along with environmental non-government organisations (NGOs) Plastic Free Wollongong, the Surfrider Foundation, Intrepid Landcare and Green Connect.
JCI Illawarra director Kevin McDonald said: “Our JCI Illawarra [project] has been developed to bring together our local business community with those organisations already championing sustainability and waste issues in our region, aiming to bridge the gap we see between the two and make the Illawarra a more sustainable place to live.”
Our project has been developed to bring together our local business community with those organisations already championing sustainability and waste issues in our region
- Kevin McDonald, JCI Illawarra
Plastic Free Wollongong CoordinatorAndy Gray was pleased to get involved.
“Plastic pollution is a global issue that requires everyone to be part of the solution,” he said.
“We are really excited to connect the local NGOs addressing the issue of waste and litter in Wollongong to the broader community and look forward to using [this] day to launch a cleaner future for the Illawarra.”
The event will also include a bike ride from Sandon Point to North Beach with the Peleton Against Plastic group, two Illawarra men who are riding bikes from Hanoi to Bangkok to raise awareness and “generate conversation” about plastic pollution.
