Ten-year-olds Keira Stryder and Deziah Coles have taken matters into their own hands to keep their local park rubbish-free.
“It looks better and it helps the environment,” Keira says. “It’s annoying there is so much rubbish here.”
The girls were inspired three years ago by a community beach clean-up at Tāhunanui. Keira, whose house backs onto the park, and Deziah now tackle the park twice a year, checking bushes and trees where rubbish often hides.
Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Two years ago, the Brightwater Volunteer Fire Brigade rewarded Keira with a ride in its fire truck – a real highlight for the young environmentalist.
“There are two rubbish bins here, people should not be leaving their rubbish on the ground,” Deziah says.
While the bins help, school holidays and sunny days bring more visitors, leaving fizzy drink bottles, snack wrappers and other litter. Keira and Deziah collect the rubbish, then sort it at home into general waste, recycling and cans – which they crush and take to scrap metal.
Over the years, their clean-ups have turned up interesting finds: a $1 coin, a packet of unopened lollies, a personalised bracelet that they were able to return to its owner, bouncy balls and even Christmas decorations.
Rubbish isn’t just unsightly – it can harm wildlife, pollute waterways and take years to break down. Keira and Deziah hope their example inspires others to pick up a piece of rubbish when they see it, as it can really make a difference.
