News
Monday 21 December 2009
Pupils Get a Taste for Waste
Hot on the heels of the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, pupils from secondary schools from across Scotland gathered with Scottish businesses including high profile entrepreneur Fraser Doherty of SuperJam, at Changeworks’ “Make Waste History Summit” for a day of action against food waste.
The Summit, held at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh on 15 December 2009, brought together over 100 pupils and their teachers from 20 schools across Scotland for a unique event, encouraging collective action against waste in our schools and homes.
Pupils were inspired into action as they learned how to deliver real change in schools and at home. After hearing Fraser Doherty of SuperJam’s inspirational story of his successful jam business, students and teachers networked and shared displays and presentations on what they’ve been doing in school to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
The students enjoyed taking part in interactive workshops including enterprising ideas for food waste with Fraser, and getting Kitchen Canny – a project to monitor and reduce food waste at home. The students also learned how to make compost in a bottle with pupils from George Heriot’s School. Lasswade High School pupils created news reports in their drama workshop and The Co-operative put their liquidising bikes into action to make smoothies.
Glasgow’s Smithycroft Secondary School shockingly revealed how their cafeteria, the Fule Zone, sends 700,000 pieces of polystyrene dinnerware to landfill every year. With an estimated 20,000 pupils using the Fuel Zone in Glasgow, 28,000,000 pieces of disposable dinnerware are thrown away every school year. They suggest making the switch to washable melamine dinnerware, which could recuperate costs in just six months. They aim to persuade Glasgow and every school in Britain to follow suit, to save money and be more environmentally friendly.
Enthused by the interest generated by this year’s summit, Changeworks’ Education Officer, Kathleen Kirkness commented:
“This was the sixth Changeworks’ Make Waste History Summit and it’s going from strength to strength. With over 1.2 million tonnes of biodegradable waste going to landfill every day from Scotland, it’s time we all took action to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. We were delighted by the quality of this year’s summit speakers and, as always, are inspired by the enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit shown by everyone involved in the summit to make waste history.”
For further information please contact:
Kathleen Kirkness, Education Officer, Changeworks
0131 538 7941
kkirkness@changeworks.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
1. Changeworks exists to improve quality of life and to protect the environment. We work with passion, integrity and in collaboration to develop and deliver innovative projects and businesses in energy, waste prevention and transport that inspire and empower people and communities to make a difference. CHANGEWORKS Resources for Life Ltd. is a company registered as a charity in Scotland and limited by guarantee. Charity No. SCO15144. Company No. SC103904. Registered Office: 36 Newhaven Road, Edinburgh EH6 5PY. VAT Reg. No. 703521966.
2. The “Make Waste History Summit” was organised by the Waste Education Team at Changeworks and is currently funded by the City of Edinburgh Council. The project aims to increase the level of waste prevention and recycling activity in Edinburgh schools by delivering extensive waste education services.
3. SuperJam was created by Fraser Doherty, after being taught to make jam using his Gran’s secret recipes at the age of fourteen. From humble beginnings, the company now supplies major UK supermarkets, has won a variety of awards and is even included in a museum exhibit as an example of an ‘Iconic Scottish Food Brand’. For further information see www.superjam.co.uk.
4. A total of 1.22 million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) was sent to landfill in Scotland in the year July 2008 to June 2009. This is already below the 1.32 million tonnes limit set for Scotland for 2009/10 by the European Commission under the Landfill Allowance Scheme. Source: SEPA.
