Conservation Kōrero: Freshwater Health in a Wasteful World

Fresh water matters to all New Zealanders. It is vital we look after it, ensuring we protect and maintain healthy rivers and lakes and access to clean, drinkable water. However, the health of our freshwater ecosystems ultimately comes down to how they are monitored and managed. I will review what the current New Zealand based research reveals about how much plastic escapes into our lakes and rivers, what are the major (and surprising) sources of plastic pollution in our waterways, how it impacts both ecosystem and human health, and what actions we can take today to reduce our plastic (and waste in general) footprint.

Doors open at 6pm, light refreshments provided.

Dr. Amanda Valois is a senior environmental scientist at Greater Wellington Regional Council and researches plastic and microplastic pollution in urban catchments. Amanda is interested in how we can better monitor waste in our environment so we can make better decisions, both in our own lives and in the policies we create.