In the “Exploring nature with children booklet

Keep Gisbourne Beautiful clean up. Photo: DOC/Trudi Ngawhare.
Keep Gisbourne Beautiful clean up

Make a difference and do a litter clean up. When litter is thrown away it doesn't magically disappear. Plastic can get caught by the wind and end up in waterways which eventually lead out to sea. Plastic is a very real problem for birds and marine life that mistake it for food or become entangled in it. As plastic photo-degrades it leaves toxic chemical residues in water.

Ponder these breakdown times:

  • Plastic bag 10-20 years
  • Tin cans - 50 years
  • Plastic beverage bottle - 450 years
  • Aluminium cans - 500 years
  • Fishing line - 600 years
  • Glass -1000 years
  • Polystyrene/styrofoam - never!

Remind your children that in nature, there is no such thing as waste, and there's no such place as 'away' to throw things - it all ends up somewhere! Encourage children to be responsible with their rubbish. Reduce the amount you create to start with by saying no to plastics and packaging where you can.

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