Recycled: Part 5

By SANDY McKAY, Illustrator JENNA PACKER

"Did you know that every year in New Zealand three and a half million tonnes of domestic rubbish are thrown out? That's one tonne for each household."

"Gee, Mr Read," muttered Byron, sarcastically, under his breath.

"So where does all this rubbish go? Does anyone know?"

Ryan 'goodey-goodey' Hallimore put up his hand. "To the tip, Sir."

"And then what happens to it?"

"It gets burnt, Sir. Or buried."

Mr Read looked at our class and nodded forlornly. "Buried."

"Buried," he repeated and bowed his head as if we were talking about his very own mother and not a pile of dead food. Then he had a surge of energy and leapt back into life.

"Burying our rubbish is not the answer. Do you know how much rubbish is buried in Auckland city every year? Five hundred thousand tonnes, that's how much. Five hundred thousand tonnes. That's the same weight as 166,666 elephants."

Publisher: Longacre Press, $14.95

Age group: 9-14 years