Teens remove 25kgs of garbage from polluted Oakley Creek
Youth in central Auckland have taken it upon themselves to clean up rubbish in the polluted Oakley Creek.
Eight teenagers cleared out 25 kilograms of rubbish in under an hour on August 9.
Salvation Army youth worker Raymond Tuala, 22, said the group is predominantly Māori, a culture that considers rivers important.
“When I asked the teens what they wanted to do, one of the things that came up was the pollution and rubbish in their local river,” he said.
“They did a pretty good job all around with the clean up.”
The teens are from Mt Roskill, Mt Albert and Lynfield in central Auckland.
In 2019, the creek was slapped with a public health warning after testing revealed high levels of faecal matter in the water.
Gumboots and gloves were worn as a safety measure during the clean up.
Tuala said he hopes to take the group out to clean the lake once a week when lockdown laws have relaxed.
“The young people were loving it,” he said.
“We’re hoping to spread awareness about how much pollution is actually going into the river.”
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Poll: Do you think banning gang patches is reasonable?
With the government cracking down on gangs, it is now illegal for gang members to display their insignia in public places whether through clothing or their property.
This means arrests can be made if these patches are worn in places like restaurants, shops, on public transport or ferries, and on airplanes. Arrests were made recently at a funeral.
Do you think this ban is reasonable?
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75.8% Yes
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22.8% No
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.