Beach clean-ups offer scientific lessons
If school pupils know rubbish should never end up on a beach then so should adults.
Students from Koru School in Mangere are teaming up with Sustainable Coastlines Charitable Trust to improve their environment as part of the Government’s ‘Curious Minds’ community science project.
They’re working to clean up local beaches and identify the origin of the rubbish they find.
The pupils will soon present their findings and recommendations at a hui at Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae in Mangere East.
Trust programmes manager Fletcher Sunde says the clean-ups are being used to collect data and educate pupils about rubbish on beaches.
‘‘We’ll also introduce them to science and how we form a hypothesis.’’
Sunde says some litter found on Auckland beaches is from fishing boats and industry but most of it flows drains.
‘‘A large amount of rubbish is dropped by people in the street and when it rains it goes down the drain and ends up on the beach.’’
The pupils will share the results of their research with politicians and various stakeholders within the Manukau Harbour catchment area, Sunde says.
‘‘They’ll present what they found and what they’d like done about it. This will show them their voices can be heard.’’ through stormwater
Koru School pupils Laila Fakalata, 11, and Ann Tupou, 12, are among those who took part in a coastal clean-up in Mangere Beach.
They say they’ve learned rubbish can end up on beaches when ships come into the harbour.
Among the trash they’ve found is lolly wrappers and bottles and they encourage people to dispose of their rubbish responsibly.
‘‘People should put rubbish in their pocket or into the rubbish bin,’’ Laila says.
‘‘We’ve found lots of rubbish and lots of little pieces of plastic.’’
Ann says wildlife can also be negatively affected by rubbish dropped onto the ground.
‘‘If an animal or a bird eats it or gets stuck in plastic they can die.’’
The hui is at Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae, 88 Robertson Rd, Mangere East, from 6pm to 8pm on November 11.
People keen to attend should RSVP before October 28 by phoning 948 8454.