A local organisation is looking for more volunteers to help rid Geelong’s beaches and streets of litter.
Volunteer groups Beach Patrol Geelong and Love Our Street’s Wes Prosser said rubbish posed a “direct danger to human well-being” and action was needed to make Geelong a safer place.
“It’s right here, right now. It’s our people that are getting hurt. We need to do something about it,” he said.
“I’m also a surf lifesaver. I’ve been required to do first aid on people because they’ve stood on broken glass or pieces of jagged metal.
“Making sure that beaches are safe, streets are safe, and parks are safe is the first step in the process.”
Mr Prosser said they only had a single Beach Patrol group in Geelong that serviced “everything from Avalon Beach right around the coast” and needed more volunteers.
“It’s just way too big for us to handle,” he said.
“If people get on board with the idea and start doing things in their own local area that takes the heat off the rest of us.”
Mr Prosser said that any rubbish in waterways could stay there for many years and that it was not a “distant issue”.
“Watching how Geelong’s garbage actually moves is a fascinating thing in itself,” he said.
“When we throw stuff into our Bay, it will cycle around it for up to 30 years before it beaches itself.
“A lot of places around Geelong are sensitive environmental areas.
“On the rare occasion it actually escapes Corio Bay, the first place it goes to is Frankston. Then Frankston has to deal with our rubbish.”
People can join their nearest Beach Patrol or Love Our Street organisation at www.beachpatrol.com.au”.
