The Plastic Bottle Kayak Crew Building Kayaks at MOTAT

The intrepid environmental adventurers, The Plastic Bottle Kayak, are preparing for their next expedition; to build and paddle a fleet of kayaks made from thousands of plastic bottles (and more than a dash of Kiwi ingenuity) through the pristine Abel Tasman coastal National Park from 22 – 24 March 2015. These passionate youths are on a mission to raise awareness of plastic pollution in New Zealand and educate others on the importance of sustainability through their adventures.

The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) is supporting the project leaders with showcasing of their work as they finalise the four kayaks needed for the expedition. From Saturday 21 February, visitors to the Museum will be able to find out more and watch the crew in action while they design and build their fleet. MOTAT CEO, Michael Frawley says “this is a unique opportunity for the public to get involved with an exciting waste positive project which will inspire other young people to creatively use technology and innovation to become the future custodians of our natural environment.”

Following a successful 100km adventure through the rapids of the Whanganui River in 2013, The Plastic Bottle Kayak once again unites a team of dedicated young people from across the country’s largest youth organisations. Even local celebrities are on-board with popular singer and songwriter, Jamie McDell personally getting involved with the initiative. As they paddle and experience the stunning Abel Tasman reserve first-hand, the crew aim to share the adventure with Kiwis everywhere - to engage them with the beauty of New Zealand and the exciting possibilities that sustainability brings to society.

Based around this project, The Plastic Bottle Kayak team have designed an education programme in conjunction with Enviroschools. The programme allows students to learn about sustainability, design, and even initiate a community project with the help of The Plastic Bottle Kayak team. Once the expedition has been completed the team will also be visiting schools to talk about what they have learnt and help classes create sustainable projects to aid their own communities.

Teachers and schools interested in this educational opportunity can find out more by going to www.plasticbottlekayak.org/education

ENDS

© Scoop Media