RIvers are not toilets for Cows! By the children of G4

Today we read some articles about cows polluting the rivers and streams of New Zealand. We had to skim and scan through the article and summarise our opinions on the subject... 

If people keep polluting in streams I'm going to feel really embarrassed and angry because if someone special, such as The Queen, says, "I'm gonna go to New Zealand because it's soo tidy and clean." But when she gets there, it's going to be very disgusting and gross! All because cows and animals from farms pollute in our streams.

Secondly a variety of native animals used to live in the forest until people chopped down the forests just to make a paddock for one type of species. People now use paddocks for cows, all they do is stand in the streams and poop or wee.

Thirdly fences aren't good enough because hundreds of cows living nearby streams wee, and cow's wee soaks into the ground and then into our rivers. This makes weeds and bacteria grow. The bacteria then use up the oxygen in the water and this chokes all the other stream animals! If you don't want New Zealand to look like a blob of poop. MAKE A CHANGE!

By Griffin

Long before the filthy farms were built the 'real' rivers were surrounded by terrific trees, they helped to support the bank. Not it is 'pooluted' by lousy cows dropping unwanted things (that's waste to you) into the rivers. I am absolutely disgusted and I'm sure the farmers will change.

By Antony

I believe that farmers should start taking care of rivers.They should not let cows or any other animals urinate or waste in the river, and they should also be fencing the rivers off. The farmers should be giving the animals space to do their business. Before this space was farm land it was sort of like a forest. This forest gave shade to the stream, and now the stream has got no shade at all.

By Isabelle

I feel very angry because firstly farmers are being very selfish by not fencing off the streams around their land. Secondly, all the cows waste drains into the rivers killing all the insects. Lastly, I think that they are being pretty rude to us (New Zealanders) by polluting our streams.

By Max

I feel that nobody knows about what happened. Long ago before a sign of life, there were lots of lovely rivers. But not many people remember the terrific trees! The trees shaded the rivers.But then the humans came, and they cut down all the trees. I am disgusted by this! Now the sun heats the rivers and cows that live in the paddock/farm poo and release urine into the rivers. Do you realise that fish live in those rivers? People pollute in rivers too. Fish sometimes think that the rubbish is food. How can you make a difference to this disgusting situation?

By Rosemary

I fee angry because cows keep 'going' in the streams. Firstly, cows go in the river to poo or pee, this is very bad because the cows waste can make algae over grow in the rivers. Secondly if there were no trees near the river the sun would heat up the river and it would be too hot for the fish to survive. Thirdly, some farmers have been building fences near the river to prevent the cows from getting in the river. But it's still bad because when the cows pee in the ground it seeps through into the river. I think this is the worst thing ever!

By Leon

Our rivers were all covered with trees but now they are covered in farmland and cows. Some cows walk into the rivers and poo or wee in there. The water is now no good for the native fish and stream insects because it is too hot for them to survive. I am angry that farmers have not fenced the river.

By Annaliese

Rivers were lined with forests. This helped keep our rivers healthy. Many of our rivers are covered in farmland and cows. The cows are polluting the rivers by doing poos and wee in the rivers. The poo will effect the native fish and insects because it is now too hot . Some farmers are helping by planting trees but I really think this situation is unacceptable

By Aimee