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Article  •  30 March 2023

 

How we celebrated Clean Up Australia Day 2023

Penguin Random House AU (PRH AU) and United Book Distributors (UBD) employees set out to collect rubbish for Clean Up Australia Day 2023. Read all about our adventures and see photos of our clean-ups in action.

Launched in 1990, Clean Up Australia Day is an annual event that encourages community groups, youth groups, schools and businesses to make a difference in their own backyards. By getting together with the common goal of cleaning up, Clean Up Australia Day encourages us all to get involved in improving our environment.

Over the years, more than 20 million Australians have participated, and PRH AU is proud to say that we are amongst them! While the official day is held on the first Sunday of every March, our PRH and UBD employees staggered our clean-up days throughout the month.

Keep scrolling to learn more about what our clean-up days looked like.

PRH AU Sydney Office

When: 2 March 2023

Where: Berry Island Reserve

The PRH AU Sydney office spent their clean-up day at Berry Island Reserve. With the Sydney Harbour running along the side of the reserve, there was no shortage of trash washed up on the shores. However, the Sydney team did note that fewer straws appeared to be in the harbour this year. ‘Last year, there was much more rubbish here! It's encouraging to see that the reserve was much cleaner this year.’ said Heather Curdie, a member of the Sydney office Green Team.

PRH AU Melbourne Office

When: 3 March 2023

Where: Maribyrnong River

The PRH AU Melbourne team cleaned up along the Maribyrnong River and was even joined by a few locals who found our event on the Clean Up Australia Day Website. ‘We collected eight full bags of rubbish and walked approximately 7,000 steps,’ said Bella Arnott-Hoare of the Melbourne office Green Team. The rubbish they collected alongside the riverbank ranged from the expected (fishing rods) to the unusual (a hub cap). Overall, it was a successful day – no less so because we got more than just our office involved.

UBD Scoresby

When: 15 March 2023

Where: Greenway off Wellington Road

UBD staff packed up and headed out to clean up a greenway along Wellington Road in Rowville. Proud nature lovers (and hard workers), the UBD team collected several bags of rubbish. According to UBD Green Team member, Peter McLean, the team lost count of how many Slushie cups they picked up. With a 7-Eleven and Hungry Jack’s nearby, there was an unfortunate amount of rubbish. The volunteers involved did an awesome job though, helping to minimise litter in their local area.

 

Learn more about our sustainable efforts here

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