Join the Aotearoa Beach Blitz this Saturday

26th July 2017 - for immediate release

From our streets to the beaches, our seas are filling up with plastic rubbish and other junk that is totally avoidable. This Saturday July 29th, Para Kore Marae Incorporated, the Māori zero waste organisation, is running a 10 minute blitz to remove rubbish from street gutters, streams and beaches across Aotearoa.

There is a prize on offer too, a free registration to Para Kore's Hui ā-Tau being held in Kawhia in October later this year. The prize is worth $175 and will be offered for the largest pile of rubbish collected, photographed and posted online. The prize is worth $175 and will be offered to one of the piles of rubbish collected, photographed and posted on Para Kore's facebook page.

"This Plastic Free July we're trying to reduce or completely stop buying plastics but there's already an island of plastic rubbish the size of Australia, one kilometre deep floating around in the Pacific Ocean. And it's not the only plastic rubbish island, there's one on every ocean on this planet. What's more every piece of plastic breaks down into tiny particles that create a toxic plastic soup that we swim in. Birds, fish and other sea life consume and choke on this rubbish daily and storm water drains can clog up and cause devastating floods." says Emily Bailey, Taranaki waste advisor for Para Kore.

"Cleaning up this mess is everyone's responsibility. We can recycle it or dispose of it properly in a controlled landfill and in the process remind ourselves that this rubbish is totally unnecessary if we avoid plastic, use compostable products and reuse things." said Bailey. "It's only 10 minutes and can be as easy as stepping out your door to remove what's stuck in the gutter, but it can make a world of difference."

For more information go to "Aotearoa Beach Blitz 29 July" on Facebook or www.parakore.maori.nz

ENDS

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