On 1 March 2009 AYUDH and GreenFriends members from across the country participated in the annual Clean Up Australia Day. Sydney saw the largest group of participants who joined together to clean up the Black Wattle Bay foreshore in Glebe.

“With bright spirits and plenty of enthusiasm we found two spots in great need of a ‘clean up’” says Holi (Amritasri), Sydney’s local AYUDH leader. “As we worked together we shared stories about Amma and had many light hearted jokes about the unusual objects we came across, such as little plastic people and mango pips which were definitely the worse for wear”.

As well as some strange and interesting objects, the group were sobered by the many plastic bags, broken glass and fishing wire they found along the shore and were affected by the realisation of what a significant impact such rubbish has on our environment. The group ended up with bags and boxes full of many different types of rubbish and felt that they had made a noticeable difference to the foreshore area.

“The opportunity to express our love for the environment and a commitment to preservation and restoration in the simplest of ways, was a great blessing” says Holi (Amritasri). “We shared a picnic lunch following the Clean-Up, and finished the day overlooking Wattle Bay with full bellies and hearts.”

In Hobart a small group of AYUDH members met at Seven Mile Beach to clean up the rubbish along the main road. After filling many bags of rubbish, the youth were affected by what a difference one day of cleaning up their local environment could make.

“To spend that time picking up pieces of rubbish was a very grounding activity which really made us feel the connection we have with nature,” said Cleo (Arati), the local AYUDH leader. “We felt a strong sense of nurturing the environment and felt that in turn we received great support back. It was one of the strongest bonding experiences with nature I’ve ever had on that level.”

Through making a concentrated effort on this one day, the AYUDH and GreenFriends members attuned their awareness to the interdependent relationship we have with our environment, and resolved to make efforts to continue to care for and clean up our environment, while also focusing on mentally “cleaning up” those aspects of our lives that bring negativity, such as negative thoughts and feelings, and attempting to replace them with positive, loving thoughts and actions.

The next Clean Up Activity conducted by AYUDH will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 28th. In a joint venture with the local community the youngsters will clean up parts of the slum area of Maringo to create a cleaner and safer environment for people to live in.