Mass student street cleanup crowns inaugural Enviroweek efforts
A MASS cleanup of Castle St, signalling the end of the inaugural university studentorganised Enviroweek, was relatively lowkey compared with other rubbish collections in one of Dunedin’s ‘‘party’’ streets.
But Matthew Schep, coleader with Polly Brownlee of the Students for Environmental Action group (SEA), the primary environmental activist group on the Otago University campus, was happy with the results and the response of people to the week.
During two to three hours yesterday afternoon, Castle St residents were provided with dustpans and brushes to clear broken glass, and black plastic rubbish bags for their garbage which they could take to rubbish bins for removal.
The event was quieter than expected as there had not been much in the way of student parties, Mr Schep said.
‘‘They’ve been too busy with assignments.’’
The week of ‘‘creative’’ activities, events and talks — aimed at getting people to think about sustainable living and protecting the environment — was organised by several student groups focused on conservation, the environment and ecology.
After the Castle St cleanup, the final event of the week was the screening last night of an environmental documentary The Third Industrial Revolution.
The inaugural Enviroweek was funded by a donation from the estate of Ken Mason, a dedicated, longterm environmentalist who died last year.
‘‘Without that generous donation, we would not have been able to fund the week,’’ Mr Schep said.