Australian environmentalist Tim Silverwood (Take 3) and Canadian adventurer Adrian Midwood (Ocean Ambassadors) will sail into Port Macquarie next week to raise awareness of the impact of plastic pollution on our oceans and wildlife.
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Tim and Adrian are currently sailing from Brisbane to Sydney as part of their ‘Talking Trash’ tour, visiting 12 East Coast locations along the way, inspiring communities to take action on a local level to address plastic pollution and champion solutions to the nation’s growing waste crisis.
They will be running a number of activities in Port Macquarie next Tuesday, January 21.
According to Mr Silverwood, 85 per cent of Australians live within 50 kilometres of the coast and the nation’s rich culture revolves around its love and value for the ocean and waterways.
“Yet in every square kilometre of Australia’s fringing ocean is over 4000 pieces of plastic rubbish,” Mr Silverwood said. “Most of this rubbish comes from land and a lot of it is from single use items that were used once before becoming trash.”
Mr Silverwood said the ‘Talking Trash’ tour was about visiting coastal communities and igniting conversation about waste and pollution and about how everyone can make a positive difference. “We want people to come to our events, learn more about the problem, be inspired by our stories, discover exciting solutions and walk away feeling like they can contribute in their own way to making it better.”
Mr Midwood from Ocean Ambassadors said he was excited to be in Australia and visiting communities along the East Coast on his vessel S.V Moana.
As part of the visit he will be demonstrating the innovative Japanese ‘Blest’ technology that converts waste plastics into oil as well as showcasing the Leisure Activist Clothing line - a cause-based brand made from waste materials.
Mayor Peter Besseling is looking forward to the visit and has encouraged local residents to get involved in next Tuesday’s free activities.
“Our beaches and waterways are amongst our most spectacular assets and attract many visitors each year,” Cr Besseling said.
“But even more importantly local families love our area and using our beaches - they are an integral part of community life and we have some wonderful volunteers that collect litter at our local beaches.
“We need to focus on how to keep litter out of our local waterways and therefore reduce our impact on the marine environment and the many and varied creatures that live within it.”
Next Tuesday’s activities will kick off with a clean up at Town Beach in Port Macquarie between 9am and 11am. Those people wanting to take part are asked to meet in the Town Beach carpark shortly before 9am.
Between 4pm and 5pm, local residents will have the opportunity to meet Tim and Adrian at a stakeholder session being held in the Ross Family Studio in the Glasshouse. The focus of the session will be on various initiatives that can be adapted locally.
Finally, the community education film ‘Trashed’ will be screened at the Ross Family Studio from 6pm followed by discussion with Tim Silverwood through until 8.30pm.
Bookings for the free afternoon and evening events can be made by contacting Council on 6581 8111. Those people wanting to do so should book before 1pm next Tuesday to avoid disappointment.
