Thursday 1 August, 2024: Australia’s loved and trusted environmental organisation Clean Up Australia has today announced that nominations are open for the inaugural Clean Up Australia Community Awards.
Recognising the ongoing commitment and environmental stewardship of volunteers, community members, councils and education champions across Australia, the Awards are set to be a cherished date on the Australian calendar.
The inaugural awards coincide with the 35th anniversary of Clean Up Australia Day in March 2025, celebrating the million Australians who join their local community in a clean up event each year. They will honour the exceptional and innovative efforts of individuals and communities committed to helping to eliminate litter, end waste and preserve our natural surroundings.
Clean Up Australia Chair, Pip Kiernan said: “As we approach our 35th year, it is the perfect time to introduce our inaugural Community Awards. Since the inception of Clean Up Australia Day in 1990, we have had over 22 million volunteers join us for clean-ups. This year’s Clean Up Australia Day campaign saw more than 750,000 volunteers collect an estimated 140,000 bags of litter alone! Our volunteers are not only vital in tackling our country’s litter crisis by cleaning up, but they also share their unique insights and concerns about the environment which helps us with other initiatives like education around litter prevention and waste.
Over the years, we have witnessed the power of community as volunteers from diverse ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds and from right across Australia unite for this common cause. We are excited to celebrate their unwavering dedication and support for our organisation and the environment.”
The Clean Up Australia Community Awards are open now for nomination submissions and consist of five award categories:
1. Individual Community Champion Award: recognising a volunteer for their service, taking into consideration the number of Clean Up Australia events they have participated in and how they have promoted the event within their local community. Submissions can be made on behalf of someone or can be self-nominated.
2. Group Community Champion Award: recognising community groups and community-based organisations who have shown consistent participation in Clean Up events and promoted this within their local community. Community groups and community-based organisations of all sizes can nominate for this category.
3. Schools Sustained Environmental Award: recognising education champions for how they have implemented and sustained environmental change within their school or educational institution. Submissions are open to schools and educational institutions of all sizes.
4. Outstanding Council Award: recognising outstanding councils for their commitment, support and taking into consideration the longevity of their relationship with Clean Up Australia. Submissions are open to councils of all types and sizes.
The highlight of the awards will be the announcement of the Ian Kiernan Impact Award, highlighting a particular individual or group from the entries received who are a stand-out nominee and have gone above and beyond in their commitment to the environment.
“Nearly 35 years ago, my Dad, who was an avid yachtsman, founded Clean Up Australia to address the litter crisis he witnessed in our waterways. The Ian Kiernan Impact Award will recognise the efforts of other environmental champions who follow in his footsteps. I am delighted to personally oversee and judge this award in his honour”, said Pip.
Winners will be presented with their awards at a Clean Up Australia Day 2025 launch, to be held in early 2025. One winner and two highly commended awards will be presented for each of the four categories; Individual Community Champion Award, Group Community Champion Award, Schools Sustained Environmental Award and Outstanding Council Award, and there will be one recipient of the Ian Kiernan Impact Award.
Nominations for the Clean Up Australia Community Awards are open from 1 August until September 30, 2024 at www.cleanup.org.au/clean-up-awards.
