By Jonty Ralphsmith
A Lyndhurst resident has taken it upon himself to keep his neighbourhood clean.
While acknowledging the significance of Clean Up Australia day, held on Sunday 6 March for the 33rd consecutive year, Mark Ruberto said consistent maintenance was required in the area around his property near Marriott Waters Reserve.
Mark usually starts his day with a seven-kilometre walk around the waterway where pride in his neighbourhood encourages him to regularly clean up, as he did on Sunday from 9.30am-3pm despite the inclement weather.
“When I go for my walks, I’d rather see a pleasant environment than a rubbish dump so sometimes I’ll spontaneously decide to pick up rubbish to keep it in good condition,” Mark said.
“I don’t want there to be long-term environmental effects so I’m just trying to minimise waste and microplastics.”
Face masks, bottles, soft plastics, paper and magazines were among the items that Mark collected.
Mark is a Green Living in Casey Champion and has three recommendations for people looking to start their green living journey: set realistic limits – either time or volumes; give it a go; promote what you are doing.
“He’s such a great person to have in the community,“ said Denise Borg, manager at Club Marriott.
Four residents participated in Club Marriott’s separate event which took place in the morning of Clean Up Australia Day.
They were supplied with kits from Clean Up and collected five hessian bags of recycling and waste that had become trapped in grasslands near the waterways.
“It makes it a nicer community for everyone to enjoy when we clean up,“ Ms Borg said.
To become a Green Living in Casey Champion, visit casey.vic.gov.au/green-living-casey?fbclid=IwAR0eCpeO2JY3hXjf-8dCMkS7K8IDTk2YYnJPIDCtbsjtQFrcOfuc4yJx3Z0
