Known throughout the community for her significant volunteer work, Vettorel led the group in collecting plastic from the Brisbane River on board the Environmental Divers boat.
The organisation’s mission is to educate society about the damage litter causes to the environment, and consequently to humans, while simultaneously engaging in clean-up initiatives.
“The Brisbane River is a very delicate ecosystem because it’s made up of transitional waters – fresh water mixed with a percentage of saltwater from the ocean,” a spokesperson from Environmental Divers explained.
“For this reason it’s a mixed ecosystem with a variety of fauna, including dolphins and the infamous bull sharks.
“Plastic, microplastics and fishing litter such as lines and nets put this delicate ecosystem at risk.”
Michele, a 30-year-old volunteer, welcomed his first experience with Environmental Divers.
“The objects we recovered from the river were truly incredible,” he said.
“What was particularly astounding was the amount of small pieces of plastic that could be ingested by animals.”
The group started in Albion and travelled across the river to Northshore.
“Unfortunately a day of ‘cleaning’ isn’t going to fix the problem entirely,” Vettorel said.
“But it does give people a glimpse at the extent of the problem, educate them about the risks facing our environment and encourages them to make more eco-conscious choices in everyday life.”
Another volunteer, 32-year-old Martina, has lived in Brisbane for five years and was moved by what she saw.
“Collecting so many bags’ worth of caps and plastic bottles in just one morning made me question the uselessness of single-use plastic and the ease with which we dispose of it,” she said.
“As soon as we finished the trip, I bought a reusable water bottle and now I carry it with me all the time.
“Unfortunately, we Italians have a passion for bottled water that we really need to let go of.”
