Each morning, my dog, Ash Barky, and I enjoy walking along the beautiful North Mt Martha beach. I bring my shopping bag to collect any plastics, bottles and other rubbish that has been washed up on beach overnight. It is our daily morning ritual.
According to a Mornington Peninsula Shire council officers’ report: “Allowing organic material to break down via natural processes on the coast can reduce carbon emissions, provide habitat and food for animals, provide nutrients to support plant growth, deposit seeds promoting natural regeneration and attenuate wave energy. These outcomes contribute towards a healthier coastal ecosystem and increase erosion resilience of our beaches.”
Yet, last month, our local Councillors voted to ignore the evidence and instead reintroduce mechanical raking to 80 per cent of the shire’s bay beaches, limiting hand-cleaning to those the machine cannot reach.