Clean Up New Zealand Ready To Roll

New Zealand is preparing to be attacked by over 200,000 people with one aim in mind – Clean Up New Zealand. Armed with rubbish bags, weed eaters, gardening tools, diving equipment and rubber gloves, activities such as graffiti removal, dead car amnesties, underwater dive clean ups, picking up litter from highways, beaches, and communities are all under the spotlight.

Clean Up New Zealand week from 18-24 September is shaping up to be the largest environmental event New Zealand has ever had.

Deborah Morris, Chair of the Clean Up NZ Trust says the response to the project has been overwhelming and shows New Zealanders want to live in an environmentally friendly and safe community. More importantly, they are prepared to do their part.

“This year Clean Up New Zealand has touched the hearts of all New Zealanders. Everyone wants to be involved. We have groups registered from as far north as Cape Reinga to the deep south of Bluff. Just as importantly, large businesses through to small isolated communities are all taking up the challenge.”

Ms Morris says, “Clean Up New Zealand is aimed at encouraging all New Zealanders to clean up rubbish in their local area, and work towards long-term solutions that reduce waste. It creates an opportunity for groups and individuals who care about their environment to participate in a community event that makes a difference.”

And in true Kiwi style there are a number of innovative and unique projects that will be undertaken.

On Monday 18 September McDonald’s staff will take on Auckland’s winter temperatures and scuba dive along the waterfront in search of rubbish. In Wellington, the Minister for the Environment, staff from the Ministry of the Environment and the Warehouse will clean up the Otaki Nature Reserve.

Christchurch has over 200 people turning up at South Point beach on Tuesday armed with litter bags. Four hundred South Aucklanders are poised to remove cars, shopping trolleys and other rubbish from Otara Creek.

Invercargill is planning a “Clean Up Birthday Bash” for local environment icon Bruce C Gull (Brucie), but not before the over 3,000 club members have cleaned up a yet to be decided site!

Ms Morris says that Clean Up NZ coordinators have registered specific clean up sites around the country and will oversee their teams. Every council in the country has signed up and will provide collection points for all the rubbish gathered during the week.

“Our environment is precious to us. The response shows that people want to be a part of a project that makes a difference.”

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For further information please contact:
Chair of the Clean Up NZ Trust Hon Deborah Morris on (04) 495-7638 or (025) 544 299

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