4th August 2010

BRIDPORT: Dorset pupils give top marks to going green

The three Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle - have scored top marks with pupils across Dorset. From September 2009 to July 2010, recycling officers visited more than 80 local schools, talking to almost 8,500 youngsters about the benefits of reducing waste.

Dorset councils are committed to working with local nursery, primary and secondary schools across the county to encourage pupils to start thinking about helping the environment from an early age.

A programme of fun and interactive waste awareness and prevention activities, including educational shows, assemblies, individual class visits and trips to Dorset County Council’s education centre in Wareham, are available to local schools and community groups. The team also carry out waste audits which are designed to help schools identify the common types of materials they throw away.

Dorset County Council’s waste education and projects officer Kirsten Juniper said: “Every household in the UK throws away more than a tonne of waste each year and more than half of this can be recycled.

“It’s great to be able to visit schools and interact with children and teenagers about how they can help the environment by reducing, reusing, recycling and composting their waste.

“We provide a range of school resources such as quizzes, pictures and fact sheets as well practical ideas and suggestions that children can do at school and at home.

“We also have a flexible approach to working with schools, so if teachers have other ideas for activities we do our best to accommodate them.”

The education centre has a range of features demonstrating the importance of reusing household waste. Pupils discover how and what can be recycled, take a look at objects made from recycled materials and learn about what can go into a compost bin as well as watching waste and recycling DVDs. They also have a guided tour of the household recycling centre.

Working with local schools is part of the Dorset’s waste strategy, which aims to achieve 60 per cent recycling by 2015/16.

It was officially adopted by Christchurch Borough Council, Dorset County Council, East Dorset District Council, North Dorset District Council, West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council in May 2009. For more information visit www.dorsetforyou.com/schoolsrecyclingeducation

PICTURE: GOING GREEN - Pupils from St Mary's First School in Bridport putting the environment first with Recycler the rapping robot