Youth council prepares for Games
The Hawke’s Bay Youth Environment Council (YEC) has been very colourful lately, hosting the recent screening of Blue at the Century Theatre and now in the middle of organising the Green Games.
The Green Games have been planned by successive YECs for about five years, says YEC facilitator Jake Brookie.
“The purpose of the games is to raise awareness of environmental issues and for young people to share ideas on how to solve them.” This year’s games will be held next Wednesday at Taradale High School and begin with students meeting council staff, DOC representatives and sustainable businesses.
“In the afternoon, there are many environmental activities such as a recycling, a sorting challenge and a demonstration on different types of pest traps,” Jake says. He says there is room for up to 80 students at the games, with each school fielding a team of 10.
“The Green Games is a wonderful opportunity for secondary school students. Those attending will get to meet Department of Conservation rangers, waste minimisation experts and leaders in sustainable business as well as play some thought-provoking games”.
For some YEC members it is a chance to plan an event they enjoyed as a participant.
“I remember it from when I went in Year 10 and I’m so excited to be helping plan it and being involved again.” says YEC member Rhian Vincent.
“It’s such a fun thing to be involved in.”
Jake says there are many ways to get involved with the YEC and the group is also celebrating the success of the recent screening of documentary Blue at the Century Theatre, where more than 200 people attended.
“It was really great seeing so many people that all wanted to help.
“It was empowering as it showed that we can all help fight some of these issues.”
Jake believes it is important to see the impact of pollution and over fishing as it will impact all of us in some form.
“People eating fish from the Baltic Sea may consume over 11,000 pieces of microplastic a year. We have to be careful least something like that happens here.” The team is also enjoying a special tour of George Nuku’s exhibition Bottled Ocean: 2118 at MTG Hawke’s Bay. Jake says the YEC are very excited to see the exhibition, which tells of a future ocean that has become irreversibly linked with plastic.
“Most of the plastic made since 1950 still exists today and the plastics used in the exhibition could have remained in the ocean for centuries.”
Jake is grateful to Taradale High School for helping YEC host the Green Games.
“We look forward to meeting all the teams that are taking part.”
■ Secondary schools are also invited to register a team of up to 10 students for the Green Games, which will be held at Taradale High School, Wednesday, September 26. To register email enviro@hbrc.govt.nz or contact the YEC via Facebook.