Take 3

The Take 3 - A Clean Beach Initiative to keep rubbish off beaches was chosen as the inaugural winner of the Taronga Green Grants $50,000 Award.

Take 3 is a non-for-profit organisation formed by surfers and ocean lovers in 2009 and their idea is designed not just to get people taking away three pieces of rubbish every time they visit a beach, but at the same time removing dangerous pollution from our waterways and reducing its often fatal impact on wildlife.

Taronga‟s Research and Conservation Manager, Dr Rebecca Spindler, said: "We‟re delighted to announce the award and to congratulate Take 3 for coming up with such a great way to harness Australia‟s passion for the beach to get rid of what these wonderful people call "the Silent Assassin‟ - marine debris."

"Their concept is exactly what we wanted to encourage, creating an incredible simple, catchy way get rubbish off our beaches, keep it out of the water and stop it killing wildlife. Another great thing about it, is that once you get in the habitat you can apply this anywhere."

Take 3‟s spokesperson, marine ecologist, Roberta Dixon-Valk, said: "Since we started Take 3, we‟ve been pushing this simple message throughout coastal communities and we hope to take it to the world. The Taronga Green Grant will be a tremendous boost to our efforts."

Taronga‟s Conservation Committee received 209 applications from across Australia after the grants were announced late last year and a panel including top environmentalists managed to select seven finalists, from which Take 3 emerged as the winner.

The ideas included using worm farms to drastically remove organic waste from household rubbish for the whole township of Ballarat and a plan for neighbours to share tools and equipment.

Dr Spindler said: "When our fundraising arm, the Taronga Foundation, decided to get behind this project, we knew we had a way to get Australia‟s thinking about ways they, as individuals, would help wildlife and the environment."

"Our Zoos are offering to showcase the winning idea to our 1.6 million visitors each year and provide $50,000 to develop the idea. It perfectly complements the Taronga Foundation‟s Conservation Field Grants program which has put over $300,000 into in situ conservation projects across the region and in Australia in just over two years."

"We were looking for a totally new idea to help inspire Australians and make a huge difference for Australian wildlife. Australians think of themselves as being innovative and able to come up with great ideas, so we wanted at the Zoos to harness this great national capability."

For more information about Take 3 go to: www.take3.org.au.