New Zealand’s coastlines and waterways are better off as a result of tens of thousands of mobile phones recycled each year through RE:MOBILE. For every phone recycled with RE:MOBILE money is donated to Sustainable Coastlines, an award-winning charity which is helping to protect New Zealand’s coastlines and waterways.

Sustainable Coastlines’ mission is to enable people to look after the coastlines and waterways they love. They do this by coordinating and support large-scale coastal clean-up events, litter data collection, educational programs, public awareness campaigns and riparian planting projects.

The money donated by RE:MOBILE has seen over 14,600 trees and plants planted alongside waterways around Aotearoa.

Planting native trees alongside rivers helps to remove nutrients, slow sediment runoff and stop chemicals from entering the water, all which help to improve the water quality. The trees also help to reduce erosion and increases the habitat for native birds and other species.

A 2018 Colmar Brunton opinion poll found that 82% of respondents were extremely or very concerned about the pollution of lakes and rivers*. And they should be concerned because 94% of rivers in urban areas and 82% of rivers in pastoral farming areas in Aotearoa are not suitable for swimming in**. 69% of New Zealand’s rivers deemed unsafe for swimming after rainfall due to contamination, and the Ministry for the Environment Report ‘Our freshwater 2020’, shows that water quality and habitat for our native animals is declining. Improving the health of our waterways is critical.

RE:MOBILE is proud to be able to support Sustainable Coastlines’ long term vision of beautiful beaches, healthy waters and inspired people.

Find out more about Sustainable Coastlines and how you can get involved.

*Colmar Brunton report for Fish and Game New Zealand 2018
**Ministry for Environment – Environment Aotearoa Report 2019