Eco-savvy students give streams a makeover

JASON OXENHAM

CREEK CARE: Western Springs College students, from left: Liam O’Dwyer, Wanakia Heather-Kingi, Sophie Blazey, Molly Tait-Hyland, Janine Lawton and Phoebe Balle held a creek clean-up as part of Sea Week.

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A group of concerned students have come up with a creative way to care for their creek.

The environmental group at Western Springs College last weekend hosted Motion in the Ocean, a community clean-up of Motions and Meola creeks as part of Sea Week.

The group organised a full programme of events, with support from Motat, the Conservation Department, Auckland Zoo and Auckland Regional Council.

Group member Phoebe Balle had the idea for Motion in the Ocean after she went to a regional council Make a Difference marine camp on Motutapu Island in the summer holidays.

"It was originally just going to be a school project and it sort of just evolved from there."

Phoebe says the idea was to lift people's ideas about freshwater conservation and sustainability in the marine environment.

She says the students, who walk past the stream every day, have watched it become a dumping ground for everything from litter to car doors and tyres.

"We were shocked to learn that this used to be used for drinking water."

"It's our area and we have to look at it every day," says fellow group member Sophie Blazey.

"It would be so amazing if it could actually be clear."

Entirely student-run, the group worked on the event with the help of Auckland University's student sustainability teams.

Just last month they won a highly commended award at the regional council's Sustainable Environment Awards.

The students are also planning tree-plantings and a new recycling bin and compost system for the school.

"Their plan has been really innovative and we've got right behind it," Associate principal Ivan Davis says.

- © Fairfax NZ News