Schools across New Zealand have flocked to sign up to a new programme that is creating much-needed waves in the push to rid our oceans of rubbish.
The programme, created by Nestlé in partnership with the inspirational Kiwi non-profit organisation Sea Cleaners, gives schools across New Zealand the tools and know-how to tackle the rubbish problem plaguing our precious waterways, and help them to understand the impact of not putting litter where it belongs.
Motivating a new generation of young Kiwis into conservation action, Nestlé and Sea Cleaners, in conjunction with School Kit, have worked together to develop the programme which offers a variety of resources to help schools. Primarily it provides information to conduct local clean-ups, and teaches students how to categorise and analyse rubbish collected, examining aspects such as volume of recyclable waste found and local waterways the rubbish may have ended up in.
The lesson content branches multiple streams of the school curriculum including science, social science and the arts, as well as demonstrating the important real-world difference each student’s actions can make to the waterways and environment around them.
Complementing the free online resources for schools, this term 250 Nestlé for Healthier Kids Sea Cleaners clean-up kits were distributed around the country to help schools execute their local clean-ups. The kits are made from 100% reusable and recyclable materials, including paper collection bags, cotton gloves, and guides to help students correctly sort the rubbish.
Sea Cleaners CEO, Hayden Smith, said, “Tapping into the next generation is the key to tackling the growing issue of unwanted rubbish in our oceans. These young people are not only engaged in the issue but interested in becoming the solution. That’s why what we’re doing here is so important.
“By working with Nestlé and schools around New Zealand, we know that we’re going to be mobilising more than 8,000 of our country’s most powerful and passionate forces of change – our children. Through this programme, each of these kids is joining the movement, and bringing their friends and family with them, to help rid our oceans of waste.”
Nestlé New Zealand Country Manager, Christian Abboud, said the interest in the programme has demonstrated the huge appetite from teachers to help put environmentalism onto the classroom agenda and help change behaviours to create a country that is rubbish free.
“The response we’ve had since launching the programme has been phenomenal. We know that this is a cause close to peoples’ hearts, but to see so many schools across New Zealand join us to help make our sea waste free is truly fantastic.
“For Nestlé, this is another step in our journey to help tackle waste in New Zealand and we look forward to helping to spread its positive impact across the nation even further.”
Schools can download the Nestlé for Healthier Kids Sea Cleaners resources from: www.nestle.co.nz/n4hk/sea-cleaners-resource
Nestlé’s partnership with Sea Cleaners is part of the broader Nestlé for Healthier Kids programme that aims to help 50 million children worldwide lead healthier lives by 2030.