Meet 3 Eco-Heroes

March 7, 2016 Biome

"YOU are the person you've been waiting for" Tim Silverwood

Today, our Biome blogger Shea Wittig has the pleasure of introducing you to three inspiring people. Read on and take eco-action. The three amazing Australians you will meet today have gathered a team, taken action and together are giving us the tools needed to take a stand against unwanted pollution in our environment. When you read the scientific evidence saying currently 270,000 metric tonnes and 525 trillion particles of plastic trash are estimated to be in our oceans, you can't help but feel discouraged. It is no wonder many of us are overwhelmed and unsure as to how we can help reverse a situation which is putting the future health of our planet at risk. So where do we start? Let's meet Tim.

Tim Silverwood and Take 3:

"Remember... the ocean is downhill from everywhere. Pick it up. Bin it. #Take3fortheSea."

In 2009 Tim Silverwood, an avid surfer, co-founded Take 3 for the Sea. The Take 3 message encourages everyone to quite simply take 3 pieces of trash and bin it, every time you leave an ocean or waterway. The first thing which struck me about Tim Silverwood when I attended his “Is Your Life Too Plastic” presentation, was his perfect combination of a down-to-earth Aussie nature, infectious enthusiasm and passion to inspire change - and change we have! Since 2013, I have watched our Little Man (from the age of five) climbing over rocks to reach and rescue plastic bags before they hit the water. Pieces of rubbish have also been found in my handbag thanks to our Baby Girl who, from as young as two-years-old, began picking items off the ground as she walks past - why stop at 3 pieces!

Rebecca Prince-Ruiz and Plastic Free July:

"Think about it...why would you make something that you are going to use for a few minutes out of a material that's basically going to last forever. What's up with that?" Jeb Berrier - BagiI Movie

In 2011, Rebecca, together with 40 people in Perth's Western Suburbs, decided to see if they could give up using single-use plastic for the month of July. Over the next couple of years their passion and support for the Plastic Free July initiative grew so, in 2013, they were inspired to invite the world to join the challenge. Fast forward to 2015 and Plastic Free July has gathered over 36,000 people from 85 countries, so one could say a revolution is well under way. 2014 was the first year I joined and so began regular visits to farmers markets, supporting local food businesses and cooking most of our meals from scratch. Consciously limiting packaging meant eating less processed food and we discovered our overall health improved. To this day these new habits have become our family routine. The Plastic Free July community emphasise this is a challenge designed to create awareness, not a competition and plenty of ongoing support can be found on their website or social media pages throughout the year. They even provide a plan B - The Top 4 Challenge Refusing plastic bags, bottles, straws and coffee cups. This is a great introduction to reducing your reliance on plastic

Ian Kiernan AO and Clean Up Australia Day:

"Our Place… Our Planet… Our Responsibility" In 1989, Ian Kieran co-founded Clean Up Sydney Harbour Day which was inspired from the amount of plastic he encountered while sailing around the world on his yacht. More than 40,000 volunteers participated in this massive call to action. What began as a local event grew to Clean Up Australia Day in 1990 when people across the country were inspired to participate. Since then, an estimated 302,213 tonnes of rubbish have been removed from sites around our country.

This organisation now is involved with:

Clean Up Mobile Phones with Aussie Recycling Program (ARP)
Cash For Containers
Clean Up The World (with around 35 million volunteers in 130 Countries)
Say No To Plastic Bags

These three not-for-profit organisations are encouraging individuals and communities to get involved and be a part of the solution. Together they are tirelessly working around the clock supporting businesses, educating schools and inspiring nations to re-think everyday choices. This enthusiasm is contagious and as awareness grows, new attitudes and lifelong habits are being established around the use and disposal of everyday items.