Clean Waves, Clear Water – FREE music and movies in the park

Coolum District Coast Care, with the support of The Shop Coolum and Sunshine Coast Council, are presenting a ‘Clean Waves, Clear Water’ event in Coolum’s Tickle Park on Sunday 20 January 2013.
The free family-friendly event will celebrate the coast’s great beaches, surf and lifestyle; while also educating the community on working together to protect these most precious assets from being engulfed in a wave of plastic.
Beginning from 4pm, Clean Waves, Clear Water will open with displays by a variety of local volunteer and community groups to provide the public with information and ideas about the little things and the big things everyone can do to make a change and find ways to reduce plastic consumption.
From around 5pm, the park will resonate with the sounds of local up and coming band, Pro Vita who will release their second EP and   tour of the east coast of Australia in 2013.
Their unique brand of fun, energetic, surf-influenced pop has already earned them a following at several live venues across the coast, including Maroochydore’s Solbar.
After sunset, families are invited to settle in for two movie screenings, both designed to get you thinking and re-energise your passion for the ocean.
Local residents will recognise one of their own, Julian Wilson in his film ‘Scratching the Surface’.
Currently ranked No. 8 in the world, the film follows Coolum’s own surfing hero around the world as he takes time out from competition to surf some of the most magical locations in the world purely for fun – while also giving a shout out to those who have helped him along the way.

Screening first however will be the multiple award-winning film about our love affair with plastic and the effect it is having on our world, ’Bag It’.
‘Bag It’ is an eye-opening look at the effects of plastics in our waterways and fits perfectly with the local investigations already underway by the very active Coolum District Coast Care members.
“All of us who spend time here on the Sunshine Coast, locals and visitors alike, love to visit the beach,” said Coast Care representative Stephanie Phillips.
“We enjoy walking in the lovely clean sand, swimming in the clear water, surfing on our great waves. We love the relaxed coastal lifestyle, and we are blessed with an abundance of fascinating local wildlife that live in and travel through our tiny stretch of the ocean.
“However, did you know that, by current estimates, there are over six million tonnes of rubbish washing into the world’s oceans each year, and that there is more than one hundred million tonnes of plastic floating in the world’s oceans?
“Six months ago, Coolum District Coast Care Group began a project to survey the rubbish that is washing up on our local beaches. On the 14th of every month, a group of our volunteers collect debris that has washed up in specific areas,” Stephanie explained.
The volunteers then sort, count, and categorise the rubbish according to size, colour, and type, before sending their data to the CSIRO and Queensland University for ongoing research projects.
Coolum Coast Care are just one of the many groups around the world trying to raise awareness of the vast quantities of plastic waste that humans are generating and the distressing fact that much of this waste is ending up in our oceans.
Once in the water, this waste is eaten by our marine life and birds, causing death and diseases  – and ending up on our plates in the seafood that we all love.
Clean Waves, Clear Water is not only a great night out for the family, but an important chance to find out what you can change in your daily life to reduce plastic waste.
The event, to be held Sunday 20 January in Tickle Park, Coolum is FREE, but a gold coin donation to Cost Care would be gratefully appreciated! Consider walking or cycling to the event; bring a blanket, cushions, and a picnic – and try to avoid single-use plastics!
Click here to view event flyer and program.