After learning about rubbish in the Pacific Ocean, two local students were confronted by litter around Glen Iris and decided to take matters into their own hands.
Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School students Lorelai and Esme Butcher set about cleaning up their neighbourhood during a visit to their grandparents' home.
This month is Plastic Free July, an initiative aiming to raise awareness and reduce global plastic waste.
The organisation of the same name encourages small changes to daily routines to phase out single-use plastics.
The State Government recently committed more than $35,000 to the Waste Wise Schools program, which delivers educational resources aimed at changing behaviour to avoid the generation of waste and encourage diverting waste from landfill.
The money will go towards setting up compost bins, worm farms, paper making, brick making, and buying containers for food recycling for regional schools.
Western Australian Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said the grants would make a positive difference to regional areas around the state.
"I am pleased to see the avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle culture at Western Australia's schools - they are leading the behaviour change we need to avoid waste and minimise the amount we send to landfill," he said.
"We all need to follow this example being set by our kids.
"We all have a responsibility to do the right thing and adopt smarter ways to manage our waste at home, at work and at school."
