On Friday 28 February, the students and staff of Mary Immaculate headed out into our playground to participate in “Clean Up Schools Day 2020”. This initiative is an expansion of the long standing “Clean Up Australia Day” which began 30 years ago. Ian Kiernan who was an avid sailor, was shocked and disgusted by the pollution and rubbish that he continually encountered in the oceans of the world, so he started Clean Up Australia Day. Millions of people have participated in this great initiative over the years and Mary Immaculate was proud to join the tradition again this year. 

Looking around our playground before the clean up started, it didn’t look too bad! Yes, there were some food wrappers flying around but overall it didn’t look like there was much rubbish on the playground. That was until we got started! Each grade had 2 bags to put their rubbish in – one for general waste and one for recyclable rubbish. Unfortunately, by the end of the clean-up, most grades had filled their bags! 

This sparked a conversation in our classrooms about the importance of putting our rubbish in the right bin. We are hoping that this important initiative and conversation will continue to be at the forefront of staff and students minds at Mary Immaculate so that we can follow Pope Francis’s important work and guidelines in Laudato Si, to take care of our common home. In particular, to reduce our rubbish production. 

Thank you to all who participated in Clean Up Schools Day and Clean Up Australia Day 2020.

Mrs Kylie Alford

Wollongong Environment Network Contact