A number of environmental groups joined together with the Keppel Coast Arts Council’s Fig Tree Markets to launch a ‘Too Lovely to Litter’ campaign on Sunday 5 June for World Environment Day.
‘Too Lovely to Litter’ aimed to raise awareness about the environmental impacts that marine debris has on our coastal and marine wildlife.
The idea for this event emerged after Capricornia Catchments’ Project Officer Shelly McArdle was approached by Julie Robertson of Wildlife Rockhampton after a particularly harrowing failed rescue attempt of a local seabird that had ingested debris. In considering how to reduce these incidents, the idea was explored further at a recent Source Reduction Workshop hosted by Tangaroa Blue, Livingstone Shire Council and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. This workshop saw a number of stakeholders come together to discuss local marine debris concerns with a view to identifying ways to mobilise community to stop this debris ending up on our beaches in the first place. The result was the formation of an organising committee that set about planning this World Environment Day event.
Heidi Taylor from Tangaroa Blue said “Most Australian’s love heading to the beach or spending time out on the ocean, Too Lovely to Litter is a great way to engage the community in ways to both enjoy and protect the environment. If all we do is clean-up, we’ll be doing that forever, this event highlights the impacts of litter in our environment, but also provides information and ideas on how everyone can reduce their impact by making easy choices in their daily lives.”
Julie Robertson said wildlife rescuers see first-hand the devastating effects that marine debris has on shorebirds and marine life. We see their pain and distress and know that their suffering is preventable. Now, with so many groups standing together under one campaign, we feel we can make a positive change along our beautiful coastline.”
Fitzroy Basin Association’s Engagement Manager and organising committee member Rebecca French said “The Too Lovely to Litter Committee and its volunteers provide a great example of what can be achieved when a number of groups collaborate to achieve a common goal. This passionate group seeded and have nurtured an idea, with limited resources, to enhance community awareness around the impacts of litter on our coastal and marine ecosystems, and to encourage behaviour change to stop the debris at the source.”
Too Lovely to Litter is an event which asks everyone to take stock of their own behaviours and consider how they can contribute to ensuring our coastal environments are cleaned up, cared for and kept as natural as possible.
This event is supported by Fitzroy Basin Association through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.
For more information on this and other local natural resource management projects call Janeen at Capricornia Catchments P: 49210573 or E: admin@capcatchments.org.au
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