Seaweek – Kaupapa Moana

Chrys Horn

Seaweek –Kaupapa Moana is New Zealand’s annual national week
celebrating the sea. This year it takes place from Saturday 29 February to Sunday 8 March 2020.

Halswell seems a long way from the sea but even what we do in Halswell can have significant impact on the sea. All of the water that runs off our land including our roads and pathways, ends up in the sea and on the way, it affects what is in our local rivers and streams. It is via water that any rubbish that is lying around ends up in the sea as well. If it is plastic, it contributes to the huge amount of plastic that is already killing many sea animals.


Here are some easy ways to help look after the sea from our corner of the world:

1) Clean your car on your lawn where the soil and grass can help filter and break down the dirt and detergent before it gets into the waterways. Don’t clean it on your driveway or on the road, since everything that washes off these ends up in our rivers and in the sea. If you can’t clean it on the lawn, take your to a car wash where the waste water is treated through the sewer system.


2) Pick up any rubbish you see along the roads. If you are someone that walks or runs, take a bag with you to collect rubbish on your way. A big thank you to all who make the effort to keep our place looking great by doing this already.


3) Spend a minute picking up any rubbish that you see outside your house on collection day before you take your bin in. One of the biggest sources of roadside rubbish is from rubbish collection day when plastic etc. blows out when bins are emptied. 

4) Learn about our oceans - There are some good documentaries about the seas on Netflix.  Spend an evening watching one of them.  

There are lot of activities (many of them free or very inexpensive) on offer for Seaweek 2020 - from A detective walk through a wetland, cleaning up the Estuary and a bike ride along the coastal pathway between Ferrymead and Sumner.  There is also an ephemeral art competition, a puppet making workshop and even a quiz night.  Find out more about all of these here