CLEANER ENVIRONMENT ON MINISTER’S SHOPPING LIST
Published Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 at 10:28 AM
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew McNamara
Queensland Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, returned to his first childhood job today, all in the name of helping clean up our environment.
Mr McNamara launched an initiative by Woolworths which aims to reduce one of the most common modern environmental blights – feral shopping trolleys.
“Shopping trolleys are a helpful addition to the process of grocery shopping but, unfortunately, they also often add to downgrading the environment of adjacent lands and waterways,” Mr McNamara said.
“Feral shopping trolleys isn’t a new environmental problem, but it appears to be increasing in magnitude.
“The first job I ever had was as a trolley boy at a Brisbane suburban supermarket just over thirty years ago.
“Even then, trolleys used to end up in nearby creeks, be left abandoned at adjacent bus-stops, and find their way into streets often many blocks from the supermarket.
“My own experience doesn’t go back as far as June 1937 when the shopping trolley was invented, but I wouldn’t be surprised if keeping track of them hasn’t been a problem since then.
“Wayward trolleys become a problem for local councils, an eyesore for the community and an added cost for supermarkets from which they came.
“I’m pleased to support the Trolley Tracker initiative being launched in Queensland by Woolworths to reduce the impact of truant trolleys.”
Mr McNamara said it was disappointing that the Trolley Tracker initiative had to depend on providing a financial incentive for people to report stray trolleys.
“If that’s what it takes to clean up our environment and neighbourhood amenity, then it’s worth it,” Mr McNamara said.
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004
Mr McNamara launched an initiative by Woolworths which aims to reduce one of the most common modern environmental blights – feral shopping trolleys.
“Shopping trolleys are a helpful addition to the process of grocery shopping but, unfortunately, they also often add to downgrading the environment of adjacent lands and waterways,” Mr McNamara said.
“Feral shopping trolleys isn’t a new environmental problem, but it appears to be increasing in magnitude.
“The first job I ever had was as a trolley boy at a Brisbane suburban supermarket just over thirty years ago.
“Even then, trolleys used to end up in nearby creeks, be left abandoned at adjacent bus-stops, and find their way into streets often many blocks from the supermarket.
“My own experience doesn’t go back as far as June 1937 when the shopping trolley was invented, but I wouldn’t be surprised if keeping track of them hasn’t been a problem since then.
“Wayward trolleys become a problem for local councils, an eyesore for the community and an added cost for supermarkets from which they came.
“I’m pleased to support the Trolley Tracker initiative being launched in Queensland by Woolworths to reduce the impact of truant trolleys.”
Mr McNamara said it was disappointing that the Trolley Tracker initiative had to depend on providing a financial incentive for people to report stray trolleys.
“If that’s what it takes to clean up our environment and neighbourhood amenity, then it’s worth it,” Mr McNamara said.
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004