Talking rubbish

There is interest out there in the community about global warming. More articles in the parish magazine about how to save resources and a definite move to doing things on a local level.

I have been involved in my local school for the last few years, but this week, have been given the task to evaluate the school's impact on the environment and more excitingly to come and talk rubbish to the school children. ( I see the funny side in that...). I trained to work with small children and as previously mentioned, am in favour of taking education out of the classroom. I would have never thought though that rubbish would become my specialised subject, but thanks to my DS 3, I am going to school to talk about rubbish and create greater awareness. I'll be asking the children to evaluate each other's lunchbox as dealing with your own waste is easier than being faced by someone else's empty yoghurt pot. Then introducing the reduce, reuse and recyle element, we can look at what is in the box, what can be reused and what can be recycled. I am shy about these things really but it simply takes out into the community the principles of our waste reduction scheme at home and if I can get one more person to be aware that would be a miracle. What will follow maybe is a waste audit ( science and maths), location of waste recycling facilities( maybe a trip out ) and if they are keen we could go for eco status. Possibilities talking rubbish are endless.

Our schools have gardens and are situated in glorious countryside and I am hoping to raise enough interest and pass the health and safety aspects, to bring a wormery to the school to enable the children to look at a possible solution to deal with lunch box waste which later on they can add to the garden.

Let the fun begin, I'll let you know in a couple of weeks on how it went. If you are a school governor, do ask whether you can do the same.