Teens remove 25kgs of garbage from polluted Oakley Creek
Youth in central Auckland have taken it upon themselves to clean up rubbish in the polluted Oakley Creek.
Eight teenagers cleared out 25 kilograms of rubbish in under an hour on August 9.
Salvation Army youth worker Raymond Tuala, 22, said the group is predominantly Māori, a culture that considers rivers important.
“When I asked the teens what they wanted to do, one of the things that came up was the pollution and rubbish in their local river,” he said.
“They did a pretty good job all around with the clean up.”
The teens are from Mt Roskill, Mt Albert and Lynfield in central Auckland.
In 2019, the creek was slapped with a public health warning after testing revealed high levels of faecal matter in the water.
Gumboots and gloves were worn as a safety measure during the clean up.
Tuala said he hopes to take the group out to clean the lake once a week when lockdown laws have relaxed.
“The young people were loving it,” he said.
“We’re hoping to spread awareness about how much pollution is actually going into the river.”
Poll: How should Guy Fawkes be celebrated?
While it is a fun occasion, fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night has caused much conflict over the years, upsetting our pets and disrupting the sleep of neighbours.
How should we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
-
27.8% With a city-wide public fireworks display
-
21% Small fireworks displays in each community
-
7.9% Keep it as is
-
31.5% We shouldn't celebrate it!
-
11.3% Anything but fireworks
-
0.4% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
Winner winner!
Congratulations to the winners of our $100 Mitre10 vouchers:
Justine Terrill from Mount Albert
Suzette Gibson from Nelson
Soumya Manoj from Lower Hutt
Millie George from Richmond Hill
If you're a winner, get in touch here.
Not a winner this week? There's always next week!