“Bottled water also has an environmental cost,” she said.

“If people used a refillable bottle instead of buying a new one every time they wanted a drink of water, then we would help to reduce the huge amount of greenhouse gases created in making and transporting them.”

Cr Cox said while drinking water is a healthy

personal choice, using a refillable bottle was a health choice for the environment.

Australia uses more than 300,000 barrels of oil a year to make PET bottles for bottled water.

Of the 118,000 tonnes of plastic drink bottles Australians buy in one year, only 35 per cent are recycled.

The 76,700 tonnes left behind either go to landfill or end up in our environment as rubbish.

“Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday, March 2 will be a focus for community action to address not just the growing problem of plastic bottle rubbish but greenhouse gas pollution as well,” Cr Cox said.

People young and old are being urged to register as a volunteer so that they can join in on the day and make a difference to the Griffith community

“It’s not too late to get involved,” said council’s environmental planner and organiser of the local clean up, Joanne Tarbit.

“Just turn up at the Griffith Visitors Centre at 8am on March 2 with gloves, a hat, sturdy shoes, sunglasses and sunscreen and register as a volunteer.”

For further information call Ms Tarbit on 6962 8100.

A list of other Clean Up Australia Day sites in your area can be found by visiting www.cleanup.org.au.

IMAGE: IT'S really not that hard to put your litter in the bin, says rubbish crusader Ron Pattison. He is urging more residents to get involved in Clean Up Australia Day activities next month to help make the city a cleaner place.