Community cleans up Mount Maunganui

Roseanna Russell, 16, and dad Craig Russell were keen to do their bit to help keep Mount Maunganui clean with a community clean-up day. Photo/George Novak

While dozens of other teens were enjoying the beach by grabbing a tan or playing in the water last weekend, 16-year-old Roseanna Russell was picking up rubbish.

Roseanna and dad Craig Russell were among the dozen people who responded to a community call to help keep Mount Maunganui clean with a collaborative clean-up day.

Armed with a large bag and gloved hand, Roseanna eagerly set off to do her bit.

"My mum is just really into the environment so I am too.

"Once you start to look for it, you see it everywhere. There is a lot of rubbish around all over the place. You start to see more and more and want to keep the environment clean for people and generations to come."

The clean-up day was organised by Morgan Schofield, who used the power of Facebook to get the message out.

"It's not just 'oh yeah, let's make the beach look good'. Litter is an issue for the ocean as well," she said.

Schofield is part of the Keep Mauao Clean Facebook page and worked with Tauranga City Council to organise the rubbish collection day, sorting it all and taking it to the local transfer station.

More than 25kg of litter was collected, about 19 of which was recycled.

Schofield said cigarette butts were among the most invasive type of rubbish, made worse by an increase in visitors to the beach.

She hoped the community clean-up day could become a more regular thing throughout summer.

"Doing things like this is a good way to create a community feel but bring like-minded people together.

"If people see people picking up litter, it might make them think twice about littering."