Reader\'s Digest AU NZ 03.2020

CLEAN-UP Teen

TheNewZealandteenageronamissiontosave

herpartoftheplanet, clearing the rubbish from

beachesandrivers

BYDianeGodley

PHOTOS:

THE

NELSON

MAIL

“

I

ama veganbecauseI love

animalsandmarinelife,”

wrote13-year-oldSophie

Weenink Smith i n h e r

submission to the 2019

NewZealandVegetarianSociety’s

‘ThinkKind’competitionforschool

students.“Iheldabeachclean-up

inNelsonintheschoolholidays

becauseitreallybothers me that

marinelifeishurtbythoughtless

decisionsmadebyhumans.”

ItwaswhilesnorkellingatCable

Bay,atthetipofNewZealand’sSouth

Islandandnotfarfromherhome,that

Sophiesawgarbageontheseafloor.

“Usuallyitiscleanthere,butthatday

I sawa lotofplastic,”shesays.“Itwas

thefirsttimeI’dseena seacucumber,

and it was next to a chip packet! I also

Startingsmalland

movingtobigger

things:Sophie

Weenink Smith

24 March 2020