Why should I care?

Litter isn't just unsightly. It can easily enter our waterways when they get washed away into drains or blown away by the wind. Once it enters the bay, the plastics degrade into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics. These are harmful to marine life and sea birds as they often ingest these plastics by mistake. It is estimated that over 1.4 billion litter items flow into Port Phillip Bay annually from just the surface waters of the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers. Each day, over 350,000 cigarette butts wash into the Bay. That's about 120 million a year. And by the way, did you know that cigarette butt filters are 95% plastic? If you've taken a stroll in South Melbourne, you're almost guaranteed to find at least one piece of litter every five paces.

Who is Love Our Street 3205?

Love Our Street is the on-street arm of Beach Patrol Australia. Love Our Street aims to bring people together as a community to look after our environment, to keep our streets beautifully clean and stop litter getting into our creeks, canals, on to beach or in the ocean. We aim to support the work of Beach Patrol by dealing with litter close to the source.

So, what's involved?

By volunteering with Love Our Street 3205, you will be joining a group of individuals who want to make a difference. For just one hour a month, we get together to remove litter around a local area in South Melbourne to prevent it from entering the waterways and ending up on our beaches. This is a great opportunity to meet other locals, have a chat, and enjoy a coffee together at a nearby cafe after. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@loveourstreet3205) for all the latest updates.