RESIDENTS of Central Highlands got into the community spirit for Clean Up Australia day last week with hundreds getting involved in tidying up their community.
Locals sacrificed their Sunday mornings to attend a Clean Up Australia Day event hosted by Central Highlands Regional Council (CHRC) at the Emerald Botanic Gardens.
CHRC General Manager Communities John McDougall said over 200 people registered for the event.
“The annual event is a great opportunity to promote recycling in the region,” he said.
“However, it also provides a platform to reuse any circular economy opportunities that are growing in popularity within the waste resources sector.”
Mayor Kerry Hayes said we was delighted to see so many people give up their Sunday mornings to attend.
“This response is really about having a strong belief in keeping everything clean,” he said.
“We’re very happy to provide a day like today.”
Cr Hayes said the award for most unusual item found, handed out at the event each year, was an easy pick.
“We found a five dollar note… there’s an engine block… we couldn’t carry it back,” he said.
“But the one that really struck me the most that young members really talk about was cigarette butts.
“We found a full pack of cigarettes and a lighter, and the reason we chose that was hopefully because someone said ‘you know what, I don’t need to do this’, and unfortunately threw them away.
“We accept the fact that some people choose to smoke, but why would you want to throw what you do out in the environment?”
Mr McDougal said that Clean Up Australia Day will be back “bigger and better” in 2022.
Meanwhile, the entire student body of Emerald State School (ESS) filed out of class in droves last Friday to show pride by cleaning up the school grounds.
Clean Up Schools Day at Emerald State was organised to coincide with the annual Clean Up Australia day on Sunday.
ESS Deputy Principal Kristy Pethers said the technologies curriculum taught students to engage in sustainable practice.
“As a school we do positive behaviour for learning and part of that is looking after the environment within the school,” she said.
ESS Technologies Teacher Tracy Gobbert said the day formed part of the school’s ongoing commitment to fostering sustainable practice.
“We have a couple of things that encourage sustainability,” she said.
“Some of the lower grades work on a project later in the year where they look at a piece of clothing and turn it into another, useful item.
“We can get shirts that are turned into a bag, and so on.
“We look at waste, and how textiles are just thrown away and how we might be able to reuse them.”
Mrs Gobbert said students also used technology to track waste throughout the school.
“We’re also using Microsoft Excel to track some data… we’re looking at what kinds of rubbish we throw away,” she said.
“They actually do a survey of the rubbish and they track it… they might create some poster art to encourage people to use the recycling bin or put their food waste in the compost.”
Mrs Pethers said the Student Leadership Council was very enthusiastic about doing their bit for the environment.
“It’s our school leaders in combination with our elected class representatives, who speak and act of their class and also the school about student voices or things that the children have issue with or would like to support and promote.”
The student leaders at the school said they were very invested in doing their part for the environment.
School Captain Lily said days like Clean-Up Australia Day were very important.
“I think it’s important to have a clean school because it feels more welcoming,” she said.
Leichardt House Captain Clancy said sustainable practise had a big impact on the environment.
“It helps out the animals,” she said.
“If it rains all the rubbish can go down the drains and hurt all the marine animals.”
Leichardt House Captain Steele said everyone in the community should dispose of their waste properly “to help the earth be a better place”.
Mitchell House Captain Meg said keeping the environment tidy was important to the community to “make it a beautiful place to live, play and enjoy”.
School Captain Ariana said that it was important that everyone took responsibility for waste disposal.
“If there’s a mess you haven’t made you can still clean it up,” she said.
Mitchell House Captain Isaac said that Clean-Up Australia day was about people working together.
“It’s about helping out others, being sustainable,” he said.
“It’s about giving back what we’ve taken.”
