01 May 2009

It’s cool to be green

Hannah Moore and Annesh Theron are full of green ideas after attending a week-long conference with the country's young eco-warriors.

The two Heretaunga College pupils were selected to attend the Sir Peter Blake Youth Environment Forum in Wellington this week after submitting essays showing their enthusiasm. Only two other pupils from the Wellington region were selected.

Hannah 17, and Annesh 15, are campaigning to make their school the "greenest" in the capital, by encouraging recycling and growing their own fruits and vegetables.

"We have planted lettuce, spinach, cabbages...and want to start our own line of juices," Annesh said.

The girls were impressed by pupils from other schools and the ideas they had. Despite being from Wellington, Hannah and Annesh stayed at the hotel with the other forum participants during the week.

"It's really cool being around so many people who have the same interests as you," Hannah said. "Everybody gets on really well."

When they were not hearing from experts, or working on presentations for the final day of the forum, the pupils were taken on special sight-seeing trips.

They visited Karori Sanctuary at night and had a guided tour around Te Papa museum.

"The climate change group also went to Petone Beach and did some dune planting, and learned about why dunes are so important," Hannah said.

Hannah plans to study geography and other environmental topics at university next year, but hopes to have a hands-on job in the future."I was thinking about studying horticulture - I just really like being outside."

Annesh, who is Year 11, has a couple of years to think about university but is considering studying biology and geography.

The Dominion Post - 24/04/09