Scouts help the environment for Clean Up Australia Day

Scouts were out and about on Sunday picking up rubbish for Clean Up Australia Day, the nation's largest community-based environmental event.

A Scout is Respectful, which includes caring for others and the environment. This focus, as well as the international program Scouts for SDGs and its connection to the environmental aspects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, saw Scouts don their gloves and grab their rubbish bags.

So many Groups got involved in cleaning up their community. Here’s just a few of them:

1st Figtree Scout Group – O’Brien’s Reserve

Leader Belinda Dawson said the members had put in a massive effort, collecting about five bags of rubbish and one bag of recyclables.

“Some of the bulkier items included four trolleys, a gas cylinder, two car tyres, tiles, building products, car wheels, and heaps and heaps of plastic, like food wrappers,” she said.

“Soft plastics and food wrappers were the most common type of rubbish.”

Kingsford Smith Group – Planespotting Beach, Botany Bay

Group Leader Hayley Jarick said the Group had been taking part in Clean Up Australia Day for between 10 and 15 years.

“We usually collect about 10 to 20 bags of rubbish across two hours,” she said.

“The most common items are plastic straws, syringes, plastic bottles, bottle tops, nappies and foil wrappers. But the strangest items have been an anchor and tyres.”

BLIA Sydney – Kogarah Scout Group – Carss Park

Leader-in-Charge WanJing Fang said the Group had been participating for about five years, usually collecting more than 30 bags of rubbish.

“We get lots of plastic bags, soft drink cans and bottles, as well as car tyres and golf balls,” she said.

“We want to give a stand for our Mother Earth, it’s the only one we have and we want a clean environment for our home. We encourage our youths and families to take part, as we are staying active at the same time as we pick up rubbish and volunteering improves our mental health and wellbeing.”

1st Picnic Point Scout Group – Lambeth Reserve, Picnic Point

These members have collected a variety of different items from along the river, including camp chairs, a couch, tyres and a generator. But the most mysterious item picked up each year are single shoes, while the most common is Styrofoam.

The Group uses the area along the river frequently for water activities and are proud of the river and the parklands surrounding their Scout hall and work to keep it clean.

2nd Mortdale Scout Group – Jinna Reserve, Peakhurst

Mortdale Scouts have been participating in Clean Up Australia Day off and on for many years, but for the last three years have combined forces with local environment group Oatley Flora and Fauna Society for a combined event.

In the more than 20 bags of rubbish they usually collect, the most common items are plastic bottles, balls, and chocolate and chip wrappers.

1st Balgowlah Scout Group – Burnt Bridge Creek, Balgowlah

The members of 1st Balgowlah Scout Group believe community service is an integral part of Scouting and a great way to engage their families. They’ve been helping clean up the community for more than 15 years, building a collection of handballs, tennis balls, bottles and cans.

But the weirdest things they have pulled out of the creek have been a golf club, an iPad and a kitchen splashback!