THE GREAT NORTHERN CLEAN UP

Aussies everywhere are worried about the environment and now is the time to tackle the surge in pandemic-related litter such as takeaway food packaging, coffee cups, and masks; all of which are polluting our local parks, bushland, waterways and beaches. The latest Clean Up Australia Rubbish Report revealed that half of all single items reported in 2020 were either plastic or contain plastic and packaging overall continues to dominate rubbish counts, representing close to 50% of all reported rubbish during the year.  Australia now produces 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, equating to 100kg per person. And concerningly, around 130,000 tonnes of the plastic we consume leaks into the marine environment each year.

The Great Northern Clean Up (GNCU) is the northern sibling of Clean Up Australia Day and is held in August – October each year, giving communities north of the Tropic of Capricorn the flexibility to participate in Clean Up events in the cooler months, after the peak tourist period, and prior to the cyclone season.

We encourage BirdLife Northern Queensland members and supporters to get together and register a group here. Registration is free, and Clean Up will send you a Clean Up kit (bags and gloves) to get you started (please allow 2 weeks for postage). 

If you want to organise a Clean Up at another time of year you can create an Every Day Clean Up at any time!

Find out more about Clean Up Australia here.