Colouring competition aims to illustrate effects of plastic pollution
• April 9, 2025
Plastic makes up more than half of New Zealand’s marine litter, according to the Department of Conservation. Photo: Michal Klajban / Wikipedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
The SPCA is trying to raise awareness among children of the impacts of plastic pollution on our marine environment by holding a colouring competition.
SPCA Education Engagement Officer, Caroline Dowsett, says the competition's theme highlights the importance of protecting New Zealand’s marine life.
Dowsett says SPCA want “to ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn about the importance of positive animal welfare”.
“There are acts of kind conservation the young people of Aotearoa can take to help care for these animals and the habitats they live in.”
Plastic pollution is a significant issue in New Zealand, with the Department of Conservation claiming plastic makes up more than half of all marine litter.
“There have been a few recent cases of marine life caught in plastic waste [nets],” Dowsett says.
According to Greenpeace, 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic have been produced globally over the last 70 years.
Greenpeace’s Graham Forbes wrote in 2023 that cutting plastic production by 75 per cent by 2050 is required to keep warming to 1.5C and “prevent the most dire impacts of a rapidly warming planet.”
Recycling is not the solution to this problem either, Forbes says.
“Only 9% of plastic has ever been recycled.”
Dowsett says the idea of a colouring competition arose in December 2024, when the SPCA surveyed its younger audience.
“One of the questions asked was what type of competition they would like to see in 2025. The most requested competition was a colouring competition.”
Those interested in entering the competition can download a colouring template from the SPCA Kids website, or pick one up from an SPCA Centre or Op Shop.
“Once complete, either take a photo or scan the entry.
“Visit www.spca.nz/kindmatters and click on ‘Enter Here’. This will take you to a Google Form to complete and will prompt you to upload the image of the entry.
“Teachers or others with many entries can either scan all the entries into one PDF document and enter them using their name in the Google Form, or they are welcome to email them through at education@spca.nz.”
Entries close on April 27, and there are a range of prizes up for grabs, including books, stationery and reusable straws.
