The Zero Waste Education (ZWE) programme has been educating children
about the topic of sustainable resource use since 1993. This awardwinning programme is now offered to over 480 schools throughout New
Zealand to students in years 1-8 each year.
Additionally there is a unit for preschools and one for Year 9 or 10 classes
in secondary schools. Note that these are only available in some council
areas across New Zealand. Contact our office to learn more.
If your school is offered Zero Waste Education, it is provided by your
council and usually from the Waste Levy funds. This free Council
programme enables children to investigate the link between the earth’s
natural resources, the products they use and see around them and the
resulting waste (natural resources we no longer want) that pollutes our
environment.
This comprehensive programme consists of different units each focussing
on a specific solution to our waste problem. As the units alternate each
year students will constantly receive new material. They will have received
9 units by the time they leave Year 8 with the possibility of a Unit in Year 9
or 10. More details on each of these units can be found overleaf.
Preschool
ZERO the NO
Rubbish Hero
Years 1/2
Is That Really
Rubbish and
The Litterless
Lunchbox
Years 3/4
Reduce Unit
and Reuse
Unit
Years 5/6
Recycle Unit
and Compost
Unit
Years 7/8
Resource
Sustainability
Unit and Water
Unit
Year 9
or 10
Waste Audit
Timetabling
Preschools are offered
one 45 minute lesson.
The two Year 1/2 units
two 45-minute lessons
comprise of
. The six Year 3-8 units
each comprise of four
lessons. The Year 9 or
45
-minute
10 unit comprises of thr
ee 45 minute lessons.
taught by a specialist tea
All
units are
cher. Teachers can opt
for one 45-minute lesso
or 90-minute sessions
n per day,
comprising of two lesso
ns (with a 10 minute bre
session).
ak mid-
The Educators, Unit Plans & St
udent Workbooks
The programme is taugh
t by a specialist educato
r with extensive knowled
waste minimisation in a
ge of
real world context. Unit
pla
ns are provided prior to
to assist teachers in un
the visit
dertaking curriculum pla
nning. These unit plans
suggested hands-on ext
also contain
ension activities, writin
g tasks and links to jou
Students undertake for
rnal stories.
mative assessment tas
ks in class under the gu
programme educator.
idance of the
For each unit, students
also receive their own
workbook to complete
teach their family and frie
and use to
nds. A small amount of
homework may be req
students. A marking tem
uired of the
plate is given to each cla
ssroom teacher as req
uired.
10
Units
All units are supported by workbooks / worksheets, interactive games
and activities, DVD’s, relevant photos and website references.
Waste Assessment in schools
Want to find out how much waste your school generates? Thinking of starting
a composting or recycling system, or wanting to know how well your existing
systems are working? Then you need an assessment of your ‘waste stream’! Our
onsite waste assessment has our Zero Waste Educator working with the school to
research, establish and maybe improve waste minimisation systems. Our educator
will also assist the school in more sustainable school supplies procurement.
ZERO the NO Rubbish Hero (Preschool)
Young children are introduced to the idea that our rubbish makes a giant rubbish pile
and we can choose to make that pile smaller. In one session a specialist educator
leads children to investigate one of 3 ways of stopping that Rubbish via interactive
play. Early childcare centres have a choice of a focus on Compost, Reuse or
Recycling.
Note this unit is only available in certain council areas. Please contact our office to learn more.
bish (Years 1/2fo)und in the children’s
Is That Really Riteub
mmonly
ms of rubbish co
bbish?”
on
n “Is that really ru
This unit focuses
nsider the questio
co
to
d
in a
ke
as
e
ar
ed again, placed
homes. They
items could be us
e
th
r
he
e classroom
et
Th
.
wh
rm
ing
post/worm fa
before explor
m
co
e
th
in
s
rm
aying with
d to the wo
n with students pl
tio
recycling bin, or fe
ac
in
n
tio
isa
m
of waste mini
seeing a real worm
becomes a place
erials, as well as
at
m
ed
by a
us
re
m
fro
over two lessons
simple toys made
ramme is taught
og
pr
e
Th
s.
rm
wo
farm full of wriggly
.
or
at
uc
ed
specialist
ars 1/2)
ox (Ye
The Litterless Lunchb
r’ (things
e concept of ‘litte
duced to th
to
Students are intro
their lunchboxes
ore) and explore
ym
an
nt
wa
t
e
n’
we do
ter examining th
er hides within. Af
discover what litt
boxes and the
litter in their lunch
e
th
n
ee
tw
be
n
connectio
ts embark on
ment, the studen
on
vir
en
e
th
in
t
new
litter eviden
Armed with their
school grounds.
some
e
or
pl
a litter hunt in the
ex
ents to
w time for the stud
no
it’s
d
ge
en
led
e
ow
Th
kn
chbox.
to the litter-filled lun
es
tiv
na
er
alt
ey
e
th
pl
u
sim
s lunch men
eation of a litterles
goal being the cr
duction in school
d
regivers, an a re
ca
eir
th
th
wi
e
ar
can sh
o lessons by a
is taught over tw
e
m
m
ra
og
pr
e
litter Th
or.
specialist educat
Reduce Unit (Years 3/4)
‘Reducing the waste pile’ is the focu
s of this Years
3/4 unit. Sensible shopping, recycling
, composting
and reusing are introduced as way
s of making our
waste pile smaller. Students are also
introduced
to the concept of waste, landfills and
the five main
natural resources that are used to
make all the
‘stuff’ they consume.
Reusing Unit (Years 3/4)
The concept of ‘reusing’ products
and packaging
and buying longer lasting items is
further
investigated. Students will put thei
r knowledge
and design skills into practice by reus
ing items of
packaging from home to make a mon
ey bank or
desktop tidier.
6)
Recycling Unit (Yeathersco5/
ncept
into
Students delve deeper
ues such as
iss
y
ke
of recycling and
ir responsibilities
the
d
‘contamination’ an
reinforced. By
as a recycler at home are
les students
cyc
investigating product life
ca
y n have a
are able to see how the
sustainable use of
positive impact on the
ycling. Children
natural resources by rec
lly happens to
also discover what actua
ves their house,
their recycling after it lea
w end product.
from recycling bin to ne
rs 5/6)
Composting Unit (Yea
serves its
that de
Composting is a topic
it and is a key tool
un
own comprehensive
waste problem.
in tackling our growing
role of nature in
Children investigate the
in to new compost.
turning organic waste
ments of nitrogens
The key composting ele
ned and the
and carbons are exami
dfills and composts
differences between lan
will build their own
are explored. Children
g tiger worms),
‘mini-compost’ (containin
d knowledge to
giving them the skills an
-scale composts at
build and maintain large
home.
Resource
Sustainability Unit
(Years 7/8)
Natural resources - renewable and non-renewable - are the focus of this
Year 7/8 level unit. Students investigate how the production systems we
currently use are affecting our ability to conserve our natural resources
for future generations. Alternatives to these linear forms of production are
offered as well as insights into more sustainable business practices such as
replacing waste streams with clean streams.
Water Unit (Years 7/8)
Water is one of the most precious natural resources on our planet. In this unit
students investigate how water is ‘made’ through the water cycle, how we
use this water and what happens to the water we no longer want - waste
water and stormwater. Water conservation and our role in the prevention of
water pollution through stormwater protection complete this unit aimed at the
Year 7/8 student level.
Waste Audit
(Year 9 or 10)
The concept of a Waste Audit
is investigated. Students will
undertake the three stages
of a Waste Audit, planning,
implementing the audit and
compiling a report of findings.
This unit is lead by a specialist
educator over 3 lessons.
Note this unit is only available in certa
in
council areas. Please contact our
office
to learn more.
More resources available to schools!
Here are just some of our other fantastic resources available to schools.
It may be possible to link one or more activities. Contact your local ZWE
educator for further details, conditions and if these are available in your
council area.
Worm farming in schools
At ZWE we’re wild about worms! We have a limited number of quality
ga
wormfarms available for loan. Wormfarms are a fantastic tool in teachin
lent
school
Every
ment.
improve
valuable method of waste minimisation and soil
and
long
a
have
worms
a worm farm receives on-going support to ensure your
wriggly life.
Composting in
schools
Did you know almost half
of the waste that ends
up in our landfills could
have been composted?
Composting is easy. If you
know what you are doing!
Our ZWE educators are
available to advise you on
how to best use your existing
compost bin or build a special
‘hot compost’ from scratch.
It’s hot stuff!
Whanau waste workshops
Are your students wa
ste experts but the res
t of the whanau could
with a little help? Ou
do
r ZWE educator is availab
le to run recycling, worm
farming and compostin
g workshops in your sch
ool. Let your school be
a place of learning for the
come
whole community!
Sustainable school events
Are you planning an
upcoming school fai
r or running a region
schools’ event? Want
al
to be a sustainable host?
Let our ZWE team help
the guesswork and co
take
nfusion out of your pla
nning. We will help your
plan systems and estab
sch
oo
l
lish links with appropriate
service providers. Our
educator can provide ‘on
ZW
E
the day’ assistance an
d a waste audit to help
the success of your eff
measure
orts.
Help with community clean-up
days
Is your class or scho
ol thinking of taking
action to clean up a
reserve or beach in the
local
local community? ZW
E will assist you by pro
rubbish bags and organ
viding
ising the collection and
safe disposal of any wa
find. To help measure yo
ste you
ur success our educato
r will also supervise a ch
centred waste audit of
ild
the rubbish collected.
Feedback
the observed
ntributed significantly to
co
s
ha
e
mm
gra
pro
the
trict Council areas
We believe
ctises in the eighteen Dis
pra
n
tio
isa
nim
mi
ste
increase in wa
ntly being used.
the programme is curre
achers:
Quotes from classroofocmuste
as.”
sed and contributed ide
p 07 2130710 e [email protected]
www.zerowasteeducation.co.nz
Copyright © Zero Waste Education
15938 Onyx Design
ged,
“Great!! Kids were enga
as were the DVDs.”
ort to the programme,
“Booklets are great supp
al
h both written and practic
information provided wit
of
nt
ou
am
ng
azi
am
“An
work included.”
ICK!!
ARE LIMITED SO BE QU
PROGRAMME SPACES