Australia is one of the most environmentally aware nations of the world. Recycling and protecting the environment it’s almost as a religion in Australia, and people of all ages, from young kids to senior citizens, see recycling as a way of life. There are more elements that drove Australians to be so environmentally aware: the ozone hole above Australia and the dry climate, where water is a very important resource.
Water recycling in Australia
Water is an important natural resource, crucial for life. Australia has a vey dry climate, so recycling it is essential, for the future of the country. Having access to clean, safe water is a “sine qua non” condition for citizens of any civilized country. The central regions or Australia are a very dry desert, and the only continent that gets less rainfall then Australia is Antarctica. The sustainable management of water in Australia is a hot national topic, and the government is making efforts to provide the infrastructure and the legislation needed for water recycling. The Australian government has a National Water Commissioner, responsible for politics and initiatives in that area. Some of the most important topics on the subject of water recycling in Australia, now in public debate, are: public response to water restrictions, water supply options, quality of recycled water, different ways of using recycled water, challenges in water management, water desalination or recycled water for drinking.
The importance of recycling in Australia
The Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that the vast majority of Australian households (99 percent of them) participate to some form of recycling, whether it’s paper, cardboard, plastic or electronic equipment. In order to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and environment protection, organizations advocating this issue initiated, almost two decades ago, the National Recycling week. During that week, which happens each year, people are informed about the benefits or recycling and they are stimulated to recycle. During that national awareness week on environment, a lot of eco-friendly events are organized in schools, offices and public institutions.
Recycling infrastructure in Australia
Eco-friendly attitudes are highly encouraged in Australia. Waste is collected separately almost everywhere – aluminum, plastic, paper, and reused. Composting the waste that cannot be recycled otherwise is also common practice in most cities and rural areas of Australia. The use of plastic shopping bags is discouraged and they are replaced with shopping bags made of recycled paper. Visitors in public spaces from Australia also have the possibility to dispose of their waste in a responsible way, since separate bins for paper, metal and plastic are widely available.