Page 25 - Tropic Magazine Issue 21

TROPIC • ENVIRONMENT

1
Paving the way
Proper stock WASTE SOLUTION

GREAT REEF CENSUS This wet season will
Citizen science will be used determine whether a glass
to capture the first real-time, being encouraged to travel to every nook recycling initiative will keep
and cranny of the Reef over an eight
broad snapshot of the health of week period next Spring and record on truckin’.
the Great Barrier Reef. what they see. Professor Peter Mumby Words: Renee Cluff
from the University of Queensland’s
Words: Renee Cluff Marine Spatial Ecology Lab said the data Cairns Regional Council is trialling
There’s been increasing concern that will provide valuable intel. “Science is new asphalt which contains five per
cent recycled glass sourced straight
science and media reports fail to tell playing an increasingly important role in from your yellow bin. Manager of
the full picture of the state of the Great supporting reef management,” he said. Waste, Steve Cosatto, told Tropic the
Barrier Reef due to the size and diversity “The Great Reef Census will identify those crushed glass is used as a substitute
individual reefs that are driving recovery
of the wider ecosystem.” for sand. “We put a few tonnes in an
The initiative’s scope is so large, it’s asphalt road at the top of our landfill
and basically we’re trialling it under
The Great Reef Census will expected to attract eco-tourists who heavy vehicles, “ he said. “It’s holding
want to take part, including those aboard
identify those individual superyachts. It’s also expected to become up so far and we’re very, very happy
with the progress. The real test will
reefs that are driving an annual event. The Great Reef Census come when it’s really hot and raining.”
is a partnership between Citizens of the
recovery of the Great Barrier Reef, Reef and Rainforest Between 2,000 and 5,000 beer
bottles are used per tonne of glass.
wider ecosystem Research Centre, The University of Mr Cosatto said the asphalt is among
Queensland, Great Barrier Reef Marine
Prof Peter Mumby Park and the Slattery Family Trust. a range of products the Council is
University of investigating. “We want to utilise all
Queensland our kerbside glass locally so we’re
MORE: census.citizensgbr.org trying to develop a whole new set of
of the world’s largest living organism. markets,” he said. “We’re also trialling
In fact, it is estimated that up to 40% it in concrete blocks and as a filtering
has never been surveyed. Now, in an 1. Glass asphalt road, Cairns Regional Council substance in a backfill.”
ambitious survey project, people are 2. Electric vehicle charging station in Cairns

Charged up

Electric vehicle charging stations are now
Port Douglas
active at key tourism sites, including:
• Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Smithfield
• Paronella Park, Mena Creek
• Historic Village, Herberton
• Coffee Works, Mareeba
Cairns
• Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, Wangetti
Mareeba • Mossman Gorge, Mossman

They add to charging stations
already in use at:
Atherton
Babinda • Cairns Esplanade
• Stockland Cairns
Innisfail • The Reef Hotel Casino
Ravenshoe • Pullman International 2

Mission Beach
25 • tropicnow.com.au