Celebrating Clean-Up Australia Day Early: Strawkle + Reef Launch

https://www.facebook.com/events/181471472573461/

Celebrate the Clean Up Australia Day weekend with a STRAWkle or AUSMAP microplastic survey, followed by the launch of ocean photography exhibition Reef - Captured Moments of Hope and Resilience!

The STRAWkle + microplastic survey kicks off at 9am at Manly Cove. Then at 3pm, Operation Straw founders Harriet Spark and Richard Woodgett are launching their solo photography exhibition celebrating the Great Barrier Reef at Sydney Road Gallery. 10% of the show proceeds will be donated to Australian Youth Climate Coalition who are doing incredible work to combat climate change.

We hope to see you at either or both events to celebrate our oceans this Clean-Up Australia Day!

Our friends at AUSMAP are doing some incredible research into the extent of microplastic pollution along our coastlines. Plastic doesn't decompose, it just gets smaller. Our oceans are now full of teeny, tiny pieces of plastic smaller than 5mm. These particles can be ingested by some of the most minuscule (but important) creatures in the sea, like plankton.

AUSMAP survey the sand for microplastic, so by sifting through the sand you'll help find out how much microplastic is hanging around Manly Cove.

Our findings will contribute to a nationwide project designed to obtain reliable vital data on the presence of microplastics in the Australian marine environment (which is pretty bloody cool if you ask us).

For more information on Operation Straw head to: http://operationstraw.org/