He says the maunga is a sacred place to the people of Te Arawa, and anyone polluting and defiling the maunga should be ashamed.
"This year we will be working with council and Smart Environmental again to clean up our papakainga. The nominated location for 2021 is the Hamurana Park reserves.
"Our lake and its shores are another sacred location that people are disrespecting."
He says the Miss Rotorua Foundation welcomes the entire community to be part of the kaupapa to clean up our whenua, and especially encourages people to bring their kids.
It is important we teach the tamariki about conservation, and for us as a community to help preserve and restore the environment, Kharl says.
"Once our environment is destroyed, it is extremely hard to restore the damage.
"We as a community must be an example to Aotearoa about conservation and protection of the natural world."
He says only 23 per cent of the world's wilderness is left untouched by humanity, and there is a global crisis.
"We as the community of Rotorua must save our own place, and show the rest of the world our excellence as a people."
Mrs Rotorua 2019 Kristal Webb says she wants people to realise they need to choose wisely before they buy products, and to stop roadside littering.
"Do the right thing and be a smart guy. We are all tangata whenua so everyone should care for Papatuanuku/Mother Earth.
"Please reduce, reuse and recycle for the sustainability of the environment for the future."
Prashant Praveen, Rotorua Lakes Council waste services and sustainability manager, says the council is proud to support advocacy groups dedicated to caring for the whenua by collecting litter or educating others on the importance of disposing of waste correctly.
He says the Miss Rotorua Foundation Trust has organised several community cleanup events, and the council is happy to provide advice and resources to assist.
Depending on the size and location of the cleanup event, council can provide rubbish bags, gloves, high-visibility vests and other PPE, free rubbish disposal, as well as traffic management if the cleanup is on the roadside, Prashant says.
"The majority of our community disposes of rubbish responsibly and really sees value in caring for our local environment, but others underestimate – or don't care about – the harm they cause to the environment.
"Rubbish gets blown into streams and lakes, as well as creating an unsightly mess and posing a risk to public health and safety."
Prashant says there are illegal dumping "hotspots" in urban and rural neighbourhoods.
While most of the illegal dumping takes place in urban areas, typically larger dumping cases occur in rural areas.
"Residents are encouraged to look for alternatives to dumping, such as scrap metal yards, second-hand stores or online platforms if the items are still in good condition, or sharing trailers and the cost of taking it to landfill.
"Asking friends, neighbours or other whānau if they have space in their red-lid wheelie bin is also another good option."
Story author Shauni James is one of the contestants in Miss Rotorua 2021.
The details
What: Community Clean-Up
When: Saturday, October 16, 10am to 2pm
Where: Hamurana Park reserves, from the playground to the bridge
