With gloves and bin bags ready, children from Gisborne Primary School were happy to lend a hand for Clean Up Australia Day.
From the schoolyard to Jackson’s Creek, to surrounding streets, students in grades three through six descended on Friday, March 4 to do their part as a school.
Penny Keehner, a fourth-grade teacher, said the students learned about sustainability and recycling and would use the cleanup as an opportunity to sort plastics and trash.
“We’ve been doing waste management all year,” Ms. Keehner said.
“In the class, I actually have six bins, where we sort all the waste, and the other classes also follow.”
Some of the children told Star Weekly how excited they were to get involved in keeping the environment clean and safe.
“I’m happy to clean up the creek because people throw things in there and it’s not good for the environment,” Harper said.
“Hopefully Clean Up Australia Day teaches people not to litter the environment,” Charlie said.
Clean Up Australia has provided the school with the bags and gloves they need to make the day as smooth as possible, while keeping students safe.
Pupil Brian said the Clean Up Australia initiative ‘keeps our fish, birds and animals safe while we clean up the environment’.
Scarlett also said she was happy to keep “all animals safe and free from litter pollution”.
Ms Keehner said she teaches children how far litter can travel, to help them see the bigger picture.
“Because Jackson’s Creek empties into the Maribyrnong River, which then empties into the bay.
“Everything we throw in the garbage at Jackson’s Creek ends up in the bay.”
Elsie Lange
