Clean Up New Zealand

Clean Up New Zealand launches on Sunday, September 12 with international event founder, Ian Kiernan arriving from Australia to help plant a 2000 tree millennium forest on Auckland's North Shore.

Clean Up New Zealand is part of the international Clean Up the World campaign, a United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) inspiring tens of millions of people, in 100 countries to take an interest in their individual environment.

Clean Up New Zealand, September 13 to 19, aims to mobilise more than 100,000 people across the country to be involved in litter collection, tree planting, graffiti clean-up, beach care or anything that helps care for our environment.

Kiernan visits New Zealand this year as a consequence of the huge interest his event captures, and will be using this visit to officially launch Clean Up The World internationally.

"It's inspiring to see that in the simple message of Clean Up the World - "an individual can make a difference" - has been so well accepted by the people of New Zealand. It highlights the fact that people all over the world are concerned about the environment, and this is as it should be because we all breathe the same air and drink the same water," says Mr Kiernan.

Co-ordinated by Keep NZ Beautiful, the aim is to have schools, clubs, businesses, conservation groups and individual New Zealanders involved. As major sponsor, The Warehouse has pledged to organise volunteers from its stores to participate in a local clean up

project. "Through our company, all New Zealand has the opportunity to be involved." Says Warehouse spokesperson, Richard Morley-Hall. Kiernan comes from a background of international yachting,

representing Australia in the 1986 BOC Challenge. His travels meant he not only navigated the seas, but pollution and debris as well. As a result of his experiences, he established Clean Up Australia which then evolved into the international campaign Clean Up the World. 10 years later this is a major worldwide event including many of the 21 APEC countries.

Kiernan will join Warehouse MD, Stephen Tindall and North Shore Mayor, George Wood, on Sunday, September 12 to launch Clean up New Zealand at Tuff Crater in Northcote. He will then join Nick Smith, Minister for Conservation, at a school clean up the following day in Wellington before participating in a project to clean up the Avon river in Christchurch city Tuesday, September 14.

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