The Port Coogee community has been praised for its proactive approach to reducing litter in its coastal environment.
City of Cockburn Waste Education Coordinator Clare Courtauld said the Port Coogee community was a true role model for other local communities.
“Championed by Port Coogee Community Association (PCCA), the community is leading the way to a cleaner environment by adopting 12 key areas in Port Coogee through the Keep Australia Beautiful WA (KABWA) Adopt-a-Spot program,” Ms Courtauld said.
“Community members volunteer their time to pick up any litter they see in their registered adopted areas, preventing litter from making its way into the ocean where it could harm marine life.
Volunteers found many littered drink containers which prompted PCCA to install 10 Containers for Change bins in the suburb.
“The association collected over 6,000 drink containers in just three months, prompting it to install 10 Containers for Change bins in the suburb, raising about $600 towards PCCA environmental and community initiatives,” Ms Courtauld said.
“This sort of community-based action demonstrates what can be achieved at a grass roots level to reduce litter in the environment and increase recycling rates for resources that would otherwise go to landfill.”
Passionate PCCA Business Liaison Officer and volunteer Serena Kipling said 10 association volunteer coordinators had adopted the Port Coogee area through the KABWA Adopt-a-Spot program with fellow members helping collect litter.
“In one session at the car park adjacent to Port Coogee Village Shopping Centre, I picked up 400 cigarette butts,” Mrs Kipling said.
“Apart from collecting littered containers we also receive donations in the new Containers for Change bins and while this gives us 10c per container to raise money for community projects, it’s also fantastic for Scouts WA which receives 6c per container for sorting the containers.”
“We recently supported Cockburn-based Ocean Remedy sustainable swimwear designer Claire O’Loughlin’s installation of a cigarette butt ballot box bin at the shopping centre car park. It’s great to see people binning their butts as they are a lethal source of microplastic that does serious harm in the marine environment.”
“The City hopes that one day the entire coastline will be adopted through the KABWA Adopt-a-Spot program to help provide a cleaner future for generations to come,” Ms Courtauld said.
Caption: Serena Kipling from Port Coogee Community Association with Containers for Change bins near the marina.