By Emma and Indigo, Grade 5 students

On the 28th of June 2011, several of Point Cook College Green Gang members walked to Cheetham Wetlands, Waterway Festival along with Carranballac College and Good News Lutheran. At the festival we experienced waterway creatures like the Dragonfly Nymphs. We learned about how to make our own wetlands and the things that we use in our everyday lives that can affect our creeks, rivers and bays.

We watched the animation created by our very own Green Gang Members, Darcy, Sarah, Erin, Jasper, Aaron and Jerry called ‘Waterway Hero’s’. From their movie we learned that all marine life is an important part of the environment such as sponge coral that suck in polluted water and breathe out clean water, just like our friends the trees with oxygen.

REMEMBER kids:

> Don’t throw your rubbish on the grass or floor as it will go down the drain and go into our lovely oceans and hurt (or kill) our marine life!

> Don’t wash your car on the pavement the chemicals can go down the drain and pollute our waters. The safest option is to wash your car on the grass because the grass will suck up all the bad chemicals.

We also learned about a rain garden, which is a small garden bed next to your house which collects dirty rainwater from your roof. The plants inside your rain garden will suck up this water and clean out all the unwanted dirt.

Another message that was very important at the festival was to remember to pick up your dog poop! Use a biodegradable dog poop pick up bag and make sure to throw the bag away. We don’t want to step in it or scare the ducks away. A lot of poo is good for compost and trees but please PICK UP DOG POO please.