RUBBISH DUTY

Community Hygiene Environment

This is a proposal to develop an independently managed environmental community health recruitment service which draws benefits from the removal of litter from the streets, nooks and crannies of our neighbourhoods.

The city of Perth WA is considered quite a clean place and despite some natural landscape conservation incentives by councils and not for profit organisations, street litter is clearly still an issue in most suburban areas.

Litter finds its way into public spaces like curbs, laneways, vacant lots, gardens and also accumulating in shopping centre car parks. Major fast food locations are notorious for littering their surroundings. Also take into consideration the daily garbage contributions from each dining district’s rear waste disposal areas in many laneways and backyards.

This information looks at the impact current incentives have made on reducing street litter. This project is a worthwhile investment to develop a rolling hands-on program that will provide people with purpose and uphold the cleanliness of our suburban landscape.

Community Provide a manual rubbish detail collection service operated by locals
Environment Maintain the quality of the natural and urban setting
Health Prevent the spread of infection or disease
Recycling Collect rubbish and micro-waste and separate into materials
Education Engage with public, schools, and community groups to broaden awareness
Outlook Administer a standard by not accepting litter and respect the surroundings
Employment Opportunities for the unemployed, disabilities and the homeless
Volunteers Opportunities to take part, contribute ideas and share experiences
Partnerships Community gardens, local business, councils, NFPs, human services
Development Expand and improve services to boost growth and sustainability
Duty Preserve unpolluted neighbourhoods and sustain a healthy public environment

BENEFITS

RESOURCES

Current council volunteer incentives shift the obligation to the public. Passing new waste legislations will ensure regular clean surroundings.

Multiply this street litter by other polluted streets and spaces and the figure is astronomical. I could take photos forever.

358704781_6440143156062002_6344956614532071360_n

358711941_1020608458937298_7418592965026245015_n

363474115_591667843131269_3016520793826599639_n

358704781_6440143156062002_6344956614532071360_n

1/157

Think of all the micro-litter embedded in the ground

Those images were taken on Jan 24, 2023 in about five minutes around a small section of G.O. Edwards Park in Burswood. Multiply these few specs by the hundreds.

The lake is home to wildlife, but this blanket isn't one of them.

363536124_297129079481196_3985983116921509006_n_edited.jpg

Discarded face masks defeat the purpose of preventing the spread of Covid and Flus.

Screen Shot 2023-01-13 at 12.09.33 pm

Screen Shot 2023-01-13 at 12.09.57 pm

Screen Shot 2023-01-13 at 12.05.41 pm

Screen Shot 2023-01-13 at 12.09.33 pm

1/15

On December 26 2021 and 2022, I collected rubbish on my street. It took about three quarters of an hour and over-filled two large plastic bags proving this task can be accomplished solo with some motivation, little cost and few resources in a relatively short time.

MY POV

Growing up in the 1970's and 80's, Perth's population was smaller, it's demographic less diverse and its modern infrastructure was emerging fast. I was exposed to a golden age of commercialism and free trade in the western world. New waves of US and UK popular culture dominated outlets, news, media and marketing platforms.

Carl Sagan (1934-96) was an astronomer and also the first popularized modern scientist.

He calculated significant global industrial risks against the environment and provided solutions to safeguard humanity.

He also detected the Greenhouse Effect and made early climate change warnings to US congress.

Jacques Cousteau (1910-97) a French naval officer, oceanographer, filmmaker, author, conservationist and a prominent scientific figure.

His documentary television series provided a spectacular insight into the life of our oceans and the extent of its pollution and the adverse effect on the environment and its natives.

Licensed endorsed packaged products saturated the marketplace. Especially toys, home entertainment, merchandise, homeware, magazines and, grocery items. Japan rebuilt its economy becoming lead world traders of electronics, auto manufacturing, video games and photography. This mammoth marketing movement boosted the paper mills, screen printers and packaging companies

Given this significant rise of commercial culture, the impact of litter was visible enough then to be acknowledged and legislated. This campaign also included a government funded series of catchy Community Service Announcements. They were handcrafted and regularly broadcasted via television and radio raising awareness and informing people about public and personal hygiene, health and safety.

Screenshot 2023-07-31 at 10.52.04 pm.png

These advertisements helped prevent potential disease, injury or death, and also relieved some pressure off health systems and emergency services encouraging people to think smart and take precautions. I still recall the messages and the music decades later.

The Keep Australia Beautiful campaign reached teens and kids through celebrity endorsements plus Captain Cleanup school visits and shopping centre appearances. The message was clear and people responded with a genuine effort to dispose of random litter.