Head to Manly Beach on a sunny day and you’ll find a slice of pure Aussie paradise. The waves roll in, the esplanade hums with life, and the view is nothing short of spectacular. But even in this idyllic setting, a quiet problem persists. A rogue plastic bottle here, a stray coffee cup there. It’s a subtle reminder of a much bigger challenge: the staggering amount of plastic waste polluting our country.
The Hard Truth About Australia’s Plastic Problem
The numbers are eye-opening, and frankly, a bit grim. Each year, Australia generates around 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste. Of that, a depressing 83% is sent straight to landfill. Barely 12% gets recycled, and up to 130,000 tonnes ends up in our waterways and oceans annually. That’s more than a tonne of plastic entering our water every five minutes.
On a personal level, the figures are just as confronting. The average Aussie uses 130 kilograms of plastic each year, with almost half being single-use items like food packaging, straws, and drink bottles. These plastics don’t just disappear. They break down into tiny pieces called microplastics, which contaminate our soil, water, and even the air we breathe. Scientists have found them everywhere from the peak of Mount Everest to the deepest parts of the ocean.
And here’s a truly unsettling fact: studies show that each of us unknowingly ingests about five grams of plastic every single week. That’s the equivalent of a credit card. Over a year, that adds up to 250 grams. While the long-term health effects are still unknown, the impact on our planet is all too visible. It’s estimated that by 2050, the amount of plastic in our oceans will outweigh all the fish.
Turning Trash into Treasure: The Story of Spogomi
So, what if we could flip this problem on its head? What if cleaning up wasn’t a chore, but a competition? This is the simple yet brilliant idea behind Spogomi. Born in Japan, the name is a clever mash-up of “sport” and “gomi,” the Japanese word for rubbish. It transforms a humble clean-up into a fast-paced, high-energy sport.
The rules are simple: teams of three have a set amount of time to collect as much rubbish as they can. Points are awarded based on the type and quantity of waste collected. It’s a race against the clock and other teams, and it’s surprisingly good fun. It turns a serious issue into a spirited, hands-on activity.
A Manly Beach Clean Up with a Difference
This year marks a particularly proud moment for us. As the marketing team behind Spogomi Australia in both 2023 and 2025, we’ve seen this movement grow from strength to strength. In fact, the enthusiasm for this year’s event has been phenomenal – it sold out a full week before the tournament on Manly Beach. That’s not just a testament to the event itself; it’s a powerful statement from the community about how much they care.
Spogomi is about to hit the sand at Manly Beach again on August 30, and this time, the stakes are higher than ever. The winning team won’t just earn bragging rights; they’ll get the chance to represent Australia at the first-ever Spogomi World Cup in Tokyo. What starts as a local community event could land an Aussie team on the global stage, proving that small actions can have a massive impact.
But the real win is what Spogomi does for our environment. Every single bottle, wrapper, and cigarette butt picked up is one less piece of plastic that will end up harming our marine life. Every participant walks away with a new awareness of the waste we create and the power we have to clean it up.
Manly has always been a place for community, and on this day, it becomes a space for a deeper kind of connection. It’s a community coming together to protect the very place that makes it special.Â
Beyond the Clean Up: A New Way to Think About Action
Spogomi proves that taking care of the planet doesn’t have to feel like a heavy burden. It can be joyful, competitive, and memorable. It’s a powerful reminder that positive change can be playful and that our daily actions truly matter.
For one lucky team, the journey will end in Tokyo. For everyone else, it’s the satisfaction of leaving Manly Beach a little brighter, a little cleaner, and a little more loved than it was before.
For more information on Spogomi and its mission, visit our partners at MeditationHQ. They’ve got great resources on the history of Spogomi, why it matters, and training tips for your own team. Learn more about Spogomi here, read about why protecting our oceans matters here, and get training tips for your next clean-up here.Â
