Students at Wadalba Community School have been collecting cans and bottles to raise funds and awareness for National Recycling Week.
The Envirobank initiative saw 11 NSW schools participate with collected cans and bottles earning 10 cents for Surf Life Saving NSW, helping to pay for safety equipment and education.
Science Teacher at Wadalba Community School, Dylan Magrin, said the school signed up for the program to help make an important contribution to the community.
“With the average person producing around 600kg of waste per year, I think educating kids about recycling at a young age is essential for a clean and prosperous Australia,” Magrin said.
“Even educating them about food scraps, composts and reducing plastics that end up in oceans, is really important.
“The students raised around $150 for the local surf clubs from cans and bottles collected at school.”
Envirobank Founder, Narelle Anderson, said that teaching kids about recycling was an important lesson.
“The future is in our kids, National Recycling Week is a great time to remind kids about the importance of recycling and keeping our oceans clean,” Anderson said.
Magrin said school students not only participated in the National Recycling Week initiative but also other recycling campaigns throughout the year.
“The kids participated in Clean4Shore, where the year 12 marine students cleaned up Chittaway Point and the Tuggerah Lake Catchment, collecting tyres, chairs, and plastics out of the bay,” Magrin said.
“They also joined in on Clean up Australia Day where they cleaned up rubbish around the school.
“Students recycle cans and bottles each week and take them to the local return and earn, using the money for school sustainability projects.”
The students at Wadalba are committed to making the school a clean and healthy environment, with year nine student Baylee also valuing the importance of recycling.
“It’s important for the sustainability of the world and to reduce the amount of stuff we are putting into landfill.
“A lot of the plastic doesn’t break down for years,” Baylee said.
Hayley McMahon