Taronga Western Plains Zoo marked World Environment Day earlier this month by launching a Litter Free Rivers campaign to help reduce plastic pollution in its region.
Director of the zoo, Steve Hinks said Litter Free Rivers was a campaign designed to protect the local environment from plastic pollution.
“It is tackling one of the greatest environmental challenges facing our generation and safeguarding the platypus from extinction,” Mr Hicks said.
“The aim of the campaign is to work to reduce plastic pollution at the source, by encouraging individuals, businesses and schools to move away from single-use and disposable plastic items in favour of reusable items.”
He said even one less straw, coffee cup or plastic bottle in the community was one less item to deal with in the form of rubbish.
“Litter Free Rivers is an opportunity for everyone in the community to make a difference to the local environment because right now plastic pollution is a problem that is threatening waterways and local wildlife across NSW,” Mr Hicks said.
“The program provides individuals, businesses and schools with a toolkit to help them get started on ways to reduce single-use plastic in the home, workplace or school by switching from disposable to reusable.”
He said the zoo was encouraging businesses and schools to choose to reuse.
“The majority of litter comes from items designed to be used once,” Mr Hicks said.
“Fortunately there are many reusable alternatives to almost every disposable product.”
