Beach Litter Affects All Of Us!

•Have you often walked along the beach and seen rubbish littering our beaches?

•Do you think “I should pick that up”, but don’t because you have nothing to carry it in?

•Wouldn’t it be nice to have access to a bag that is 100% Biodegradable and there to be easy bin access?

Microplastic

In our oceans there is estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris.

There is approximately 269,000 tons floating on the surface, and an estimated four billion plastic microfibers per square kilometer in the deep sea.

“A sea dragon can mistake these microplastics for a piece of seaweed or a small crustacean and eat it,” Ms. Johnston said. – extract from The Daily Telegraph

Glass and Aluminum

Glass pollution has many negative impacts on marine life and coastal areas.  It can enter the food chain as nano particles, killing the fish.  It can also affect us through consumption and physical means.  

In the ocean, aluminum acts as a toxic agent on gill-breathing animals such as fish and invertebrates. This is causes loss of plasma and haemolymph ions (fish blood) leading to cellular failure or death.

Costing Billions

The most current study by the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security at the University of Wollongong, prepared a report for APEC’s Oceans and Fisheries Working Group finding that marine debris costs the countries in the 

Asia-Pacific region upward of (Au)$15.7 billion in 2015.

At present that figure has been estimated to have risen by 35% to above (Au)$20b.

Of that cost, having approximately 300 million plastic bags that end up in the oceans.  Many of the marine life that eats jelly fish will mistake a plastic bag for an easy meal. 

One solution we could have

We have doggie bag stations providing bags for collecting our dog waste.

Why don’t we have Beach Bag Stations available?  

Conservative environmentally conscious people like us could grab a biodegradable 8 litre bag from one of these stations and help in collecting litter off our beaches while we walk.

Not only walkers could use these Biodegradable Bag Stations.  People fishing, having a family day, going for a surf or just a tan in the sun.  

We all see the litter.

Along with Better Bins

Too often the small bins at the beaches are overflowing, leading to well-intended to be disposed rubbish falling out and being blown back onto our beaches.

Along with beach bags we need bigger bins to cater for the increased numbers of visitors on hotter days.

“What about illegal household rubbish dumping”, you may ask?

Just need to make the opening fit the biodegradable bags only.  It is very hard to stop illegal dumping, but at least it's in a bin.

By Signing

With this petition I will approach Shire Councils with your e-signatures requesting change.

By signing this petition, you will be collectively asking the Shire Councils around our beaches (and parks) to listen and take-action in helping reduce litter being left behind.

Cleaning up Australia, Cleans up our Oceans.

Help our environment from a manmade disaster and save a marine animal's lives and keep our children from harm.