Litter, rubbish and waste are all words we hear on the news, in newspapers or even by the feared citizens of the public. You may wonder, what do they have to fear, but deep down, the real question is, what isn’t there to fear? There is solid proof that pollution is an increasing issue, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping. But what started all this? People carelessly litter, they throw waste onto the floor, disregarding the environment around them, but unfortunately that waste then travels to the nearest ocean and eventually makes its way into sea animals’ digestive systems. More and more animals are dying, suffocating on plastic, leading to possible extinctions and the destruction of ecosystems.
There are multiple ways people in our community can help, including one recent program that has been introduced to the public by the Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC). The program is called “The School-wide Waste Management Program” and aims to clean up the pollution in multiple places, including our beautiful Bribie Island and surrounding suburbs. Although Bribie may seem like a wonderful place, just below the surface it is slowly drowning in copious amounts of litter.
You may be wondering, who is the cause of this catastrophe? The disastrous problem is unfortunately being caused by us, the residents of Bribie Island. More specifically, school age youths are a major contributor as they aren’t always educated correctly on waste management so tend to worry less about the impact their behaviours are having.
Bribie Island High School is leading the way in making a change in this area. We are introducing the “Waste Warriors” program at the High School as part of the MBRC initiative. It is a way to educate youth on the importance of keeping our oceans clean and providing the opportunity for students to take responsibility for and contribute to helping clean their environment. Through this program we will be able to decrease litter, and see an improvement for our amazing island.
There are people and groups on the island who dedicate time and effort to this problem, but more needs to be done. We need to come together and support these initiatives. Knowing that we have the opportunity to change our behaviours through the “Waste Warrior” program is the first step. Keep our island a paradise.
By Ella Simpson and Hope Davies
Year 8 Bribie Island SHS