Redland City Council is celebrating National Recycling Week (8-14 November 2021) by announcing a partnership to highlight the importance of recycling for our marine environment.
Council has engaged in a pilot sponsorship with Tangalooma EcoMarines, a not-for-profit organisation which provides programs to educate young people on the impacts of everyday activities on local catchments and river systems that feed into marine environments, especially Moreton Bay.
Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Council was excited by this opportunity to partner with EcoMarines and local school students in a combined effort to enhance Redlands Coast’s naturally wonderful environmental assets.
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“Redlands Coast has such natural beauty, and the EcoMarines program aligns with a number of key objectives and initiatives outlined in Council’s Corporate Plan,” she said.
“This includes maintaining and enhancing our natural assets, actively encouraging the recycling of waste, supporting the transition to a circular economy for waste, and working with the community to provide education opportunities to support environmental understanding.”
Cr Williams said the EcoMarines program also aligned with the suite of environmental education programs Council offers to early childhood and school groups, including free sustainability resources through The Get Grubby Program.
“Through this trial sponsorship, Council will work with EcoMarines to include some of our key environmental messages into their primary school programs across Redlands Coast in 2022,” she said.
“This will include developing activities around positive litter behaviour, waste minimisation and behavioural change, and waterway health and connectivity.
“We will also work together to review and improve data collection in the areas of litter prevention and action, waste reduction and recycling, and gardening and composting.”
EcoMarines General Manager Penny Limbach said the organisation welcomed the opportunity to work with Redland City Council.
“Five Redlands Coast primary schools are already involved in the EcoMarines program this year and, with Council’s support, we look forward to expanding our reach into more local schools in 2022,” she said.
“Council’s sponsorship ensures our programs are sustainable as we continue to foster future environmental leaders and positive behaviour change in the community.
“Our programs encourage students to identify and address environmental challenges impacting their local community in fun and creative ways.
“For example, students at Macleay Island State School picked up litter and created an artwork piece, to educate their school community on the impacts of marine debris.”
The achievements of all participating schools were celebrated at an end-of-year event in Brisbane on 8 November 2021, the first day of National Recycling Week.
