In 1989, Mr Ian Kiernan from the Sydney Harbour started a cleanup drive within his community. In the years that followed, his small initiative became Australia’s largest annual community-based environmental event, the Clean Up Australia Day.
Credit: Clean Up Australia Facebook
Australians were estimated to have allotted more than 32 million hours cleaning the surrounding for the Clean Up Australia Day. They have collected more than 344 thousand tonnes of rubbish through the initiative.
But, the movement has no plans of stopping what it has started. Every year, Clean Up Australia opens its doors to new recruits and more sites to be registered for the cleanup drive.
On the 4th of March, Clean Up Australia is inviting everyone to clean up, fix, and conserve the environment. The meeting point is at the Girl Guide hut on Edinburgh Castle Road, next to the Bowls Club. Cleaning starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m.
More about Clean Up Australia Day
By 1993, the rest of the world followed the initiative started by Australia. The replication compelled the United Nations to launch the Clean Up the World event. Its inaugural day saw an estimated 30 million people from 80 different countries participating.
To date, an estimated 40 million people across 130 countries have regularly participated in the movement.
This only goes to show that caring for the environment is a universal feeling shared by people across different cultures and diverse background.
Make sure to register or donate to take part in Clean Up Australia 2018. For more information, please click here.