It's everyone's job to look after the environment
Now, there are these two important aspects of Māori culture: Kaitiakitanga and Manaakitanga. Kaitiakitanga is about looking after the land and the environment, and Manaakitanga is about caring for others. These ideas show how everything's connected – people, nature, the whole lot!
Kaitiakitanga involves the guardianship, conservation, restoration and sustainability of the environment now and for future generations.
There's this great Māori saying: "Ka ora te taiao, ka ora te tangata"
It means: When our environment is healthy, the people are healthy too, as stated by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū.
We all share the land, sea, sky, soil, rivers and the mountains and it’s all our jobs to look after our environment so that it is healthy now and stays healthy in the future.
While we can't just plant trees and call it a day, we can all do our part to reduce our carbon footprint. Maybe walk or cycle to school instead of getting a ride or put on a jumper instead of cranking up the heat. Remember, every little bit helps. We might be young, but we can make a big difference. Kia kaha!
