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When the Garden to Table Programme inspires a whole school to tackle their waste!

January 2024

ReDiscover has been working alongside Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School and their wonderful Garden to Table Educator Nicky O’Sullivan to establish better waste systems and promote waste minimisation across the whole school.

How it started

It all began with an idea from Nicky O’Sullivan to tackle the large amounts of food waste at Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School. Nicky contacted ReDiscover and together we devised a plan that would work for the school, alongside the practices that are already in place.

Rubbish bins were already in their classrooms, as well as a Paper4trees recycling system for their paper and cardboard. But there was no whole school approach to recycling. So naturally the first thing they did was a waste audit!

Stage One: Waste Audit

On a drizzly day on the last week of term 2, with the help from several students, Nicky and ReDiscover Educator Elizabeth spent the day auditing Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School’s 15 kerbside recycling bins.

The results were fascinating, and the students were shocked with what they found. The data collected from this audit was used in math programmes and the discoveries provided the school with a starting point for how to improve and educate students on recycling and waste practices. The school could now implement stage two – new recycling and composting bins and posters.

Students sorting through waste

Stage Two: New compost buckets and recycling bins

We made sure every classroom and staff space received a full set of bins. That means 33 yellow recycling bins were donated by Selwyn District Council and 33 paint buckets were donated by Resene to be used as compost bins. Selwyn District Council also provided each classroom with posters on recycling, rubbish, and composting.

This created a school wide approach to waste management. The Garden to Table students spent time decorating the compost buckets with coloured markers and preparing the school garden for their updated composting system. This gave the students ownership of this new system, and allowed them to see the process from beginning to end.

Stage Three: Education 

Over two days Nicky and Elizabeth visited every classroom and gave a quick recycling and composting 101 to every class at Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School. All questions were answered and the energy was high for the new waste management system. Students couldn’t wait to start composting!

Stage Four:

The final step was a field trip for Year 5 and 6. Team leader Ellie Stuckey organised all 10 classes of year 5 and 6 to attend a programme at ReDiscover.

ReDiscover customised the Get a Wriggle On! programme to suit their needs. We focused on composting, what is it, how to do it correctly and how important it is to collect their food waste at school and home.

All students left feeling inspired and ready to tackle their new waste management systems at school.

Students in classroom wearing hi-vis vests Students lining up at compost heap

You never know where you might get inspired to make great change, but Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School certainly banded together to make a huge contribution to Papatuanuku!

For more information on ReDiscover visit our webpage or email rediscover.hub@selwyn.govt.nz.