NEW reef and rainforest themed portable water re-filling stations and drinking fountains will make their debut at Port Shorts this weekend in a bid to reduce single use plastics and urge event goers to reuse their water bottles.
Council has also partnered with Tangaroa Blue under the Plastic Free Douglas Reef Clean initiative to showcase the “Butt It, Bin It” program at Port Shorts.
To raise awareness of the impact that cigarette butts have on the environment, more than a hundred old mint tins have been recycled into personal ashtrays and will be distributed at the festival.
Council’s new water re-filling stations & drinking fountains
Council supports the “Butt it, Bin it” program
Recent changes to Council’s events policy saw the introduction of environmental sustainability initiatives encouraging event organisers to include sustainable practices in their events.
Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu said it’s great to see local events supporting initiatives to reduce their environmental impact.
“We encourage local events to make the environment a major part of their planning process,” she said.
“This means thinking about how they can reduce waste and use other eco-friendly practices.
“With the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest on our doorstep, it’s important we show anyone visiting for an event that we are a leading sustainable destination.”
Douglas Shire Council adopted the projects when it passed the 2019-20 Annual Budget, which featured several initiatives aimed at reducing plastic in Douglas Shire.
If you’re interested in having Council’s hydration station’s at your event, please contact us on 07 4099 9444 or via email at enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au.
