Students at Berwick’s Timbarra P-9 College can now enjoy lessons in fresh air after winning a recycled outdoor classroom.
Organised through a partnership between brands Fairy and Ambi Pur and global recycling pioneers, TerraCycle last year, a competition to win one of five outdoor classroom packages was offered to shoppers who purchased any of the brand’s dish or air care products at Woolworths supermarkets and scanned their rewards card.
The outdoor classrooms will support education about the importance of recycling by demonstrating to young people how recycled materials can be turned into new and useful products.
Each classroom comprises six recycled benches, four raised garden beds, an outdoor whiteboard – all made with recycled plastic – plus cash, making the total prize value $25,000.
Timbarra acting assistant principal Bill Exton said he was excited about the recent arrival of the classroom and the opportunity to teach students good recycling habits.
“The addition of an outdoor classroom to our school will help us deliver a strong education to our students. Being able to provide another learning environment is particularly exciting.
“Every student learns differently and having these facilities means that we can enhance the learning of our students to a greater extent,” he said.
“The classroom will also enable us to teach our students the importance of recycling and being environmentally conscious, skills that are basic to providing young people with a 21st century education. Together, we’re guiding the future generation to be leaders.”
The outdoor classroom competition was run through the Dish and Air Care Recycling Program which allows Australians to collect and ship all brands of dishwashing products and air fresheners for free to TerraCycle, who will shred, wash and melt them down into plastic pellets to be used in the manufacture of new products such as garden beds, park benches and playgrounds.
Procter and Gamble Vice President and Managing Director Vivek Gupta said P and G was committed to not only designing superior products, but also to making a positive difference and encouraging responsible consumption of their brands.
“We are proud to introduce a solution that makes not only Fairy and Ambi Pur but all brands of dish care and air care packaging 100 per cent recyclable in Australia,” he said.
“TerraCycle’s mission is to eliminate the idea of waste,” Jean Bailliard, general manager of TerraCycle Australia and New Zealand said.
“This means shifting our thinking towards viewing waste as a resource, not as garbage. We’re excited to provide such a unique prize that truly embodies the “trash-to-treasure” concept.”
