PRIMARY school students across the Port Macquarie-Hastings are becoming experts in recycling thanks to a new waste education workshop.
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Council has engaged local education consultancy Impact Environmental to roll out waste workshops to thirteen schools during term three, with Port Macquarie Primary School being the first school to participate.
The workshops will educate and empower both students and teachers by providing information on becoming waste champions, in a fun and interactive learning environment.
Director Matt Rogers said the school workshops are an important component in Council’s ongoing waste education program.
“By linking the waste education module ‘Let’s Recycle’ with the school curriculum we can encourage positive recycling habits amongst school students that will last a lifetime,” he said.
“We know that children are good learners, and in many cases take recycling habits taught at school home to influence their parents and other family members.”
The module features a video of the process undertaken at our local materials recovery facility in Cairncross. Students learn about the role we all play in ‘closing the recycling loop’ to save our precious resources.
In addition, ‘a look beyond your bin’ also takes students into the world of waste with a focus on sorting waste properly.
“While the focus for the children is learning and having fun, the program delivers real economic, social and environmental benefits,” Mr Rogers said.
Class teacher at Port Macquarie Public School, Lee Cavanagh, said the workshops reinforced the schools existing environmental practices of recycling, and complemented the teaching of sustainability within the syllabus.
“Children definitely have the power to make a significant impact on their environment, both at school and in their home lives,” she said.
“I have no doubt our students will take home the important information they learn during these workshops, and positively influence the waste practices of their family and friends.”
Last year, Council recycled almost 9,000 tonnes of waste from our household yellow bins.
Whilst this is a great effort, there is still more that can be done to stop our waste ending up in the local landfill, and adding to community costs.
For information on what can and can’t be recycled, and a behind the scenes video visit pmhc.nsw.gov.au/bins or download the free Port Macquarie WasteInfo App.
