Paddle Together Against Plastic

If you like a paddle, you can now use your hobby to help vulnerable marine creatures.

Ocean Crusaders remove tonnes of rubbish from hard-to-reach places across the eastern seaboard of Australia, and now they're inviting everyone to help the cause at the upcoming Paddle Against Plastic event.

Founder and managing director of Ocean Crusaders, Ian Thomson said the group was formed after seeing first-hand the destruction our plastic habits caused to turtles in the Whitsundays.

It's our rubbish so it is our responsibility to get it out so our marine and birdlife don't have to deal with it,� Ian said.

We hope the Paddle Against Plastic event will see around 500 kilograms removed. As we cleaned this area 2.5 years ago, it will be interesting to see the new build up.� �

Participants are asked to bring along their own paddle craft to use during the clean-up, or they can hire one for a small fee. This is a family-friendly event and everyone can play a role ' even if you choose to keep your feet dry.

The end of the Pine River has a build-up of debris coming from out of the river and the bay, possibly washed out of the Brisbane River. We will also clean up the small waterway heading along the main road, which has a lot of debris washed off the road. If you don't want to paddle, there is plenty on land as well,� Ian said.

It's not all about clean-up, either. Ocean Crusaders is on a mission to educate everyone about the impact of plastic use.

Ian said the group's main motto was 'stop it at the shop.'

If you purchase plastic, it has the potential to end up in the environment, even if you think you are doing the right thing by putting it in the recycling bin. The only way to guarantee it doesn't end up in the environment is to eliminate it in the first place,� he said.

Ian said Paddle Against Plastic was a great opportunity for locals to clean their waterways and see the issue firsthand so they could adjust in their own lives.

To register for the event or for more information about Ocean Crusaders, go to oceancrusaders.org

Brighton Park Paddle Against Plastic
Sunday, 5 December, 9-11am
Brighton Park
596 Hornibrook Highway, Brighton �