5 June 2008
Tree planting, art exhibitions and debating competitions were just a few of the ways that New Zealand communities celebrated World Environment Day on 5 June.
Up and down the country, over 120 community events marked the significant occasion.
Students from Te Aroha School planted the first three of 200 trees to mark World Environment Day. The new trees were funded by a $1000 government grant, and helped minimise the school’s carbon footprint
An Auckland zookeeper created works of art of the animals at the Auckland Zoo as part of an exhibition in honour of World Environment Day. The exhibition –which features paintings of the cheetah, lion, orang-utan, frog and rhino – highlight the importance of animal conservation.
Free tree seedlings were offered to motorists filling up their cars in North Canterbury.
In Marlborough, Renwick School students tried a day without electricity as part of World Environment Day.
Horizons Regional Council brought together pupils from around the Wanganui-Manawatu region to discuss the social and economic affects of a carbon neutral world in an interschools debating competition.
Environment Minister Trevor Mallard has congratulated New Zealanders for taking such an enthusiastic interest in World Environment Day this year. “It is great to see local communities taking such enthusiastic interest in New Zealand's hosting of this international event by organising their own local projects," he said.
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