Zero Waste

Eric researched Zero Waste

Zero Waste Explained   

Zero Waste is a goal trying to be achieved so rubbish can be reduced over the years. The main aim is to have no landfills in between 2010 and 2015 and to recycle every component and material in  products including nappies which take 500 years to break down. Waste created by people will  be changed into new resources and sold.  Companies, schools, councils and people will all dispose of or recycle their own rubbish, without polluting the environment. To help people recycle, councils can decide to place recycle bins in many different places such as beaches and malls, have recycling collection schemes and make facilities available to safely dispose of toxic waste.

 Zero Waste has always been a dream for some people but eventually it will become achievable if we work together.

New Zealand Charity   

Many organisations and peole have spent an amount of money trying to achieve this goal such as a charity named the Tindall Foundation in New Zealand. The Tindall Foundation has supported many projects on Zero Waste and helps businesses to find ways to deal with their own rubbish. 

New Zealand Councils  

    Since 1999, 45% of New Zealand's authorities have targeted  Zero Waste to landfills. Most of them aim to have no rubbish by 2015. This project at first was adopted by 10 councils but then expanded to 33 councils. 

     Many societies have adopted Zero Waste to save money and to maintain their goal of having no landfills including- Central Government, local Authorities, Businesses, schools and Community groups. Hotels and restaurants reduced solid waste, produced napkins from worn table cloths, purchased marmalade in bulk rather than using every single serve packets and saved thousands and thousands of dollars. When companies discover the reward they get from reducing rubbish or adopting Zero Waste, even more  will do it and make this target even closer to success.      

United States of America  

    Not only is the North Shore or New Zealand working on Zero Waste other countries are too. America is one of them. The Council of the United States decided to reduce the amount of waste streams and have no landfills .The most frustrating item found in waste streams were used electronic items such as computers so Sony  have agreed to fund a program for recycling.

Ideas from Campbells Bay School Pupils

We ran a competition at our school to gather ideas to help with recycling and to reduce our school rubbish.  All the children from 5 year olds to 11 years olds were allowed to enter, and our Librarian provided prizes.  We received over 100 entries including the following:

 The winners were Elliot and Anthony who suggested putting on a show at assembly, to teach everyone about recycling, so that they can recycle at home and at school.

The winners of our competition were Elliott and Antony, who had the idea to perform a show at assembly to teach all the pupils and staff about recycling.  They did this with the help of Jessica, Jack and  Holly.  We got new paper recycling bins for every classroom, including the art room and offices and asked everyone to help save the trees and our planet.

This has greatly reduced the paper waste in our jumbo bin already, in fact after two weeks, the caretaker has to put out an extra paper bin.

We also got new green recycling bins and they are put out in the playground at lunchtimes for the children to put their plastics and cans in them.  We are hoping that on lunch order days, everyone will use them.

Recommendations for North Shore Council

We will be writing to the Mayor of North Shore, Mr George Wood with our recommendations for recycling and Zero Waste on the North Shore.  These include starting a nappy recycling service, particularly at day care centres,  hospitals and Plunket Rooms, and having recycling bins available at all North Shore Beaches and shopping centres.  Nappy recycling is available overseas, but we wouldn't need it if more people used cloth nappies like in the olden days. We will all try to help the North Shore and make sure we recycle everything in our own homes.

Zero Waste at Campbells Bay School

At present our school does not have a zero waste policy.  As part of this project have writen to our Principal, Mr McGowan to recommend that our school does have one.  We feel this would be really good for our school, because it would save money, help the environment and help educate our pupils to become Zero Waste citizens of the future, both at home and in their future work places.   We love the idea of the North Shore having NO POLLUTION, clean beaches and lots of trees.

To have Zero Waste, we would have to compost or have worm farms to deal with all the food waste at lunchtimes.  We already have recycling for paper, ink cartridges, aluminium, clothes and material, glass and plastic.  We could also have solar panels to help provide our own electricity or to heat the school swimming pool.  We already have a wonderful forest that all pupils and lots of parents help to plant and weed. 

This is Mrs Crosby and her class looking at our display in the library, about recycling.  We asked them to put up their hands if they were going to help by always putting their paper in the recycling bins.

Zero Waste at other schools

Maraetai Beach Primary School is trying to become a Zero Waste School.  They have been recycling and in three years reduced their rubbish from 2.5 bins per day to just 0.5 per day.  They have a vegetable and flower garden, worm farm and compost.

Will you help? 

Zero waste is an important issue if we want a clean and enjoyable environment.  Encourage everyone in your family to adopt zero waste and help make this country the cleanest place where you live in and watch as other people admire you and your beautiful plants and trees. Although it will be tough to do all the recycling , the results will be great . 

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