Volunteers get on bikes for community clean-up

Harm Zuidmeer (left), his son Tomas, 8, and daughter Liddy, 6, with Nicola Bennett and her son Theo, 6, enjoy cycling and recycling. Photo / Bridie Witton

Grey clouds and a crisp wind did not deter a keen group of locals from taking time out of their day to take part in the second Ride to Recycle event.

The Rotorua District Council initiative took place yesterday, with guide Marcello Ojerio leading the group of volunteers on bikes.

They departed from The Redwood Centre towards the city with recycling bags and gloves to pick up rubbish along Te Ngae Rd and Te Ara Ihi cycleway.

Volunteers were rewarded with a free burger from BurgerFuel for their efforts.

Nicola Bennett took her son Theo, 6, out of school for the afternoon so they could participate in the clean-up, she said.

"It's great for the community to participate in keeping Rotorua beautiful, that's a good enough education for anybody and a good excuse to have a date with Theo," she said.

Mrs Bennett said they found a lot of packaging, coffee cups and cigarette packets along Te Ngae Rd.

Harm Zuidmeer took his son Tomas, 8, and daughter Liddy, 6, out of school too, and said it was important to keep busy Te Ngae Rd clear of rubbish.

"If you want to get into the Redwoods, the quickest trip in is along Te Ngae Rd, and if it's covered in rubbish it's not a good look," he said.

Mr Ojerio agreed.

"The links between town and the forest are often the first point of contact for visitors and we want that to be a positive one," he said.

Keep Rotorua Beautiful sustainability advisor Rose Hiha-Agnew said while picking up rubbish was important, it was not the broader message of the day.

"We are trying to promote conscious consuming and recycling; re-using water bottles, not using plastic bags. Plastic takes a very long time to break down but if we don't use these products they won't make a mess. Coming up with simple alternatives is key."