Why not celebrate Seaweek 52 weeks of the year? Whether
you live inland or on a boat, your actions impact our marine environment.
For example, 60-80% of all rubbish found in our oceans is land-based--so every
time you reuse, reduce and recycle you're making a positive difference.
Studies show that 100,000 marine mammals and between 700,000 and 1,000,000
seabirds die each year due to getting caught in or ingesting rubbish, meaning
that throwing even a bottle top into the gutter can be a lethal act.
Check out the Seanet project - a
directory and database to link people, community groups and organisations with
an interest and concern for the marine environment to information, resources and
each other. More at:
www.seanet.org.nz. Download the latest info
here
Real Science for Everyone!
In addition to the ideas on this
page, why not get the Department of Conservation's free Marine
Watch kit? Follow the step-by-step instructions and use the computer resources
to do a real-world marine survey of a rocky reef or a marine estuary. A school
project or just an awesome activity with some friends.
Click
here to to see more info or email to:
conservED@doc.govt.nz
to receive your free posted pack.
Make a Seaweek Difference By: -
Individual
-saying no to plastic bags
-leave a place cleaner than you find it
-don’t drive on the beach
-write an article about protecting the ocean for your school newspaper -learn as
much as you can about the local environment
-when fishing, catch only what you need--make sure you know and obey the rules
-join in or organise a beach clean-up day
-leave shells on the beach for other animals to use as shelter
-avoid chemical cleaners
-don’t waste water
-obey posted rules in our natural areas
Group/Whanau
-start an environmental action group
-chalk stormwater drains with the message "straight to the sea"
-grab some rubbish bags and go clean up the beach
-do a science project or a play about sea life
-build little blue penguin nesting boxes
-set up a display in the local library or shopping mall about a marine issue
that is important to you
-adopt an estuary or beach and organise regular clean ups for it
Class
-get involved with a habitat restoration project
-study the rocky shore
-study migrating birds
-run a no-plastic bags campaign
-invite speakers from NIWA, WWF - New Zealand, DOC, Ministry of Fisheries,
Forest and Bird...to visit your classroom
-turn your classroom into an undersea environment
-create sea-life puppets
-put on a play about protecting the oceans
-play Hector Goes Fishing (10K PDF)
Waihi East School celebrates their MarineWatch snorkel survey.
Photo by Rika Milne, Marine Education Specialist |
2 - 9 March 2008
