Our Annual Impact in 2021 Letter from the CEO

FY22 began as a year during which doors reopened after local lockdowns and communities, businesses and government agencies took every chance to spread their wings. And then it started to rain …. and rain…and rain. On the eastern seaboard our communities lived through heart-breaking floods, while in the west, bushfires raged.

Australia again saw the true spirit of community-based volunteering as individuals, local businesses and affected councils drew on all of their resources, galvanising immediate and longer-term action. Our national Clean Up Australia Day became a month of action, as we provided additional materials to affected councils and supported community and business groups as they faced the mammoth task of cleaning up. Local efforts cannot be underestimated, and we remain awestruck by the resilience of those directly impacted by repeat events.

As the financial year came to a close, advised my colleagues and Board that I am in the fortunate position to be able to hang up my rake and take early retirement, spending time enjoying the environment I have been proud to champion for nearly two decades.

During my Clean Up Australia chapter I have been privileged to work alongside hundreds of thousands of volunteers, numerous local, state and federal government people, environmental agency colleagues and a series of teams and Directors dedicated to delivering the best possible outcomes.

Time working under the guidance of our founder Ian Kiernan

AO was my awakening, and I remain indebted to this great man for the environmental passion and knowledge he so generously shared. I look back on my time at Clean Up Australia with fond memories of mountains we climbed, challenges we faced, friendships made and successes we celebrated.

I know I am leaving Clean Up Australia in the hands of a Chairman, Board, new CEO and team who will steer Clean Up Australia into its next phase through innovation, best practice advocacy and new action-based projects while continuing to deliver the best possible support to the most important people - the wonderful volunteers who are Clean Up Australia.

Terrie-Ann Johnson Chief Executive Clean Up Australia

Clean Up Australia Day

Sunday 6 March 2022

Despite floods ravaging eastern states, and bushfires impacting the west, an estimated 607,376 volunteers, supported by 197 active councils, donated more than 1,215,752 hours to clean up 7,622 sites in local parks, waterways, beaches, bushlands, and roadways. Once again reinforcing the relevance of Clean Up Australia Day as the largest community mobilisation event of its kind in the Asia Pacific region.

During the month of Clean Up Australia action the re-opening of schools saw a 14% increase in pre and primary school registrations – with teachers keen to engage their pupils in a rewarding outdoor group activity.

Business registrations increased by 4% over 2021 site numbers, reflecting corporate enthusiasm for team building activities as their people returned to offices and facilities.

Whilst local COVID-19 related challenges continued, community registrations remained on-par with 2021 – with volunteers rising to the challenge of an Australian-first citizen science project focused on identifying the scale of a key pandemic-related litter item - the disposable face mask.

We knew that in 2020, more than three billion single-use masks were thrown out across the globe every day, contributing to a significant portion of pandemic-related litter. However, locally, the extent of this problem remained unclear. So, commencing on Clean Up Australia Day, our volunteers were asked to unmask the impact of the problem by tallying the number of face masks collected and removed during their clean up action.

Across the nation, 78% of volunteers who submitted End of Clean Up data counts reported finding face masks.

Great Northern Clean Up

The Great Northern Clean Up (GNCU) is Clean Up Australia’s event dedicated to communities north of the Tropic of Capricorn.

Since 2009 an estimated 46,686 volunteers have registered 1,364 locations, removing rubbish that has accumulated after the peak tourist period and prior to the cyclone season.

In 2021, GNCU ran throughout the months of August to November, attracting an estimated 9,248 volunteers at 132 registered sites, supported by 20 local councils.

Every Day Clean Ups:

The organisation supports the community to clean up throughout the entire year and during FY22 173,941 volunteers participated at 3,283 every day Clean Up Australia sites, donating 347,882 hours of their time in community service.

This represents an impressive 260% growth in everyday participation over FY2021.

Clean Up Our Patch Tasmania Catch it in the Catchment

Throughout July 2021, Tasman Council held a month of action across the Tasman and Forestier Peninsula.

In October and November, Tamar Natural Resources Management hosted the Catch It in the Catchment campaign in collaboration with Plastic Free Launceston, City of Launceston, George Town Council, West Tamar Council, and Clean Up Australia. The campaign organised 21 events across the Tamar estuary.

Plogging

‘Plogging’ is a Swedish word for picking up rubbish while jogging or exercising, and in 2022 companies and individuals again embraced the term as an offering that was a fun way to keep fit and promote sustainability.

Volunteers are able to plog at a time that suits them, track distance covered, rubbish collected, and even raise vital funds to support Clean Up Australia.

During FY22, 78 individuals registered – with 53 forming 29 teams and the remainder going solo.

Many businesses saw plogging as a great way to create both actual and virtual teams to bring their employees together.

During FY22 there were two corporate options offered: The Corporate Challenge during September, under which 27 companies registered 127 participants and Corporate Plogging, under which 12 companies registered 139 team members.

Get Fitter with Litter and Adopt a Street

Getting out in the open air and walking makes you feel good, more energetic, mentally alert and physically fitter. Even better if you can hook in with a friend or friends and explore new places. During FY22, 60 Aussies decided to go one step further and add a purpose by participating in Clean Up Australia’s adopt a street to keep it neat!

Get Fitter With Litter is a healthy, fun way to reduce the problem of litter in your own neighbourhood. So, when walking the dog, popping out to the shops, taking children to school or socialising with friends, why not join them and take a bag and pick up litter as you go.

Clean Up the World

Clean Up the World members register activities year-round, celebrating their achievements during the Clean Up the World Weekend - the third weekend of September.

During the FY22 campaign period, 131 registered members ran activities across 45 different countries.

2021 registrations increased by 17% on 2020 with Latin America nearly doubling its participation.

Across the globe, the split of member action across regions was:

• 27% Latin America

• 26% Africa

• 18% Europe

• 13% Asia and the Pacific

• 8% North America

• 8% West Asia

In line with previous years, the predominant type of groups registering for Clean Up the World are Non-Governmental Organisations, charities and community groups.

Greening the Green Recykool

This three-year sporting facility program, launched in 2021 and delivered in partnership with PepsiCo, aims to reduce waste at the amateur sporting fields across the country. Participants undertake a series of self-delivered modules that include understanding the scope of waste at their facility, exploring and implementing better reduction and/or recovery practices and are rewarded as items previously discarded as ‘rubbish’ are turned into new items.

During 2022, 72 facility staff enrolled in the program with 29 reporting completion of milestones. Councils have proven to be key to the success of a Club’s endeavours, and Clean Up Australia acknowledges Albury City Council’s support of two local sports clubs - North Albury Football Netball

Club and Melrose Football. Both clubs were provided with collection stands and bags, signage, and social media content to get them started. Council also helped them fill out the paperwork associated with the campaign and regularly collected waste from their facility.

Recykool is an innovative online module-based program that helps students, teachers and ancillary support staff better understand and manage the rubbish and litter that accumulates at their school. By guiding participants through the simple step-bystep process towards a greener outcome, this online course provides information, resources, tools, and initiatives to rethink waste.

During 2022 Clean Up Australia embarked on a revitalisation program of our educational offerings for pre, primary and high school teachers. Cool Australia was engaged to review and update online, curriculum-based lesson plans resulting in year one delivery of [between Nov 2021-October 2022]:

• 6 new resource offerings

• 6,835 individual resources downloaded by 1,321 teachers

• Estimated student reach of 175,639

Cool Australia Team Building with Purpose

• 93% of teachers agreeing that students are more prepared to take action on environmental and social issues

Hosted by professional facilitators, Clean Up Australia’s bespoke Team Building with Purpose sessions focus on the sustainability challenges Australia is facing and how Clean Up Australia works in partnership with governments, schools, businesses, and community groups to educate and inform Australians about our waste challenges.

The 2-hour sessions include interactive fast-paced simulation exercises and thought-provoking discussions through which groups see myths debunked, learn how they can Step Up to improve their environmental footprint and make a real difference.

During FY22, 50+ employees from three companies undertook the challenge with many following up with localised Clean Up Australia activations.