AO, the UK’s most trusted electrical retailer, ran a competition to give one lucky class the chance to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the state-of-the-art facility, in Telford, led by CBBC host and sustainability influencer James Stewart. 

Ysgol Bryn Alyn, in Wrexham, won the prize and took a group of 15 pupils, aged between 11 and 13.

As well as meeting AO’s huge fridge crushing machine Bertha, which weighs 80 tonnes and can ‘eat’ up to 100 fridges per hour, the class were also shown science experiments with Lego and learned about how AO processes around 200 tonnes of fridge plastic each week, which goes on to make new products such as bathroom and kitchen fans.

During the trip, James Stewart challenged the children to ‘be a TV presenter for the day’ by filming their visit, on smart phones provided by AO, and editing the footage into short videos, which have since been shared on AO’s social media channels.

Richard Holden, science teacher at Ysgol Bryn Alyn, said: “I can’t thank AO enough for choosing our school to win their competition.

“It was a really insightful day and James Stewart was great with the kids, giving them the confidence to be mini TV presenters and letting them shine.”

James Stewart added: “I was absolutely blown away when I first visited AO’s fridge recycling plant so it’s been brilliant to experience it through the eyes of children this time around. I think a few of them have bright futures as TV presenters and sustainability influencers!”

Rob Sant, AO’s group recycling director, came up with the idea for the competition after learning that more than a third of Brits rely on their kids to remind them to recycle. A survey of more than 2,000 British adults, commissioned by AO, found that around 39% of British adults need some help from their children when it comes to recycling.

“It’s amazing to see kids leading the charge when it comes to recycling, so it was a pleasure to welcome a school class to AO Recycling for the first time ever,” said Rob. “It was brilliant to see how engaged they were throughout the day and the videos that they’ve put together in such a short space of time are really impressive.”

ViewSonic aims to achieve a 42% reduction in carbon footprint by 2030 and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Other key initiatives within the company’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy include aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 4, 12, and 15. These goals focus on providing equitable quality education for all, ensuring responsible product life cycles, and promoting the restorative management of ecosystems.

“We believe that technological advancement and environmental stewardship can and must go hand in hand.” said Clifford Chen, General Manager of the Presentation Group at ViewSonic. ” As a leader in the Interactive Display market, this represents a pivotal step towards a more sustainable and responsible future in the technology sector. It’s a testament to our unwavering dedication to environmental and social responsibility.”

In the pursuit of reducing environmental impact, ViewSonic’s series of ViewBoard interactive displays are designed with recycled materials and incorporate energy-saving features. The Carbon Footprint of ViewBoards has fallen by up to 24.43% compared to the previous generation. These interactive displays are registered with EPEAT® and certified by ENERGY STAR® 8.0, signifying that the devices meet high environmental performance criteria for product longevity, circular design, and energy efficiency. Each ViewBoard also comes with a comprehensive report detailing its carbon emissions and overall environmental footprint.

Energy Conservation
Engineered to minimize power consumption without compromising performance, our interactive displays feature various modes designed to reduce carbon footprint. In Energy-Saving Mode, the device automatically powers down when no signal is received for a specific amount of time. After an hour of inactivity, it enters Stand-By Mode through an Eco-mode setting. For scheduled poweron-and-offs, users can customize their preferred times using Manager Advanced. To access more information about the overall power consumption of our devices and for more precise savings, users can utilize ViewSonic’s Energy Savings Calculator.

Product Longevity
Prioritizing longevity and serviceability, ViewBoards are designed with a modular and upgradable framework, enabling easy component replacement, and accommodating technological advancements without the need to discard the entire unit. For instance, users can enhance their interactive displays by incorporating a slot-in PC to extend the product lifecycle or accessorize with sensors to reduce overall power consumption.

This forward-thinking approach not only extends the product lifecycle but also fosters a circular economy by encouraging the reuse and repurposing of materials. Through the Recycle and Disposal Program, which allows users to return obsolete devices directly to ViewSonic, we responsibly collect, recycle, and dispose of these devices, minimizing environmental harm and maximizing the reusability of materials for newer models.

Social Impact
ViewSonic will participate in various technology tradeshows, including BETT 2024 in London, United Kingdom, from January 24th to 26th, 2024, and ISE 2024 in Barcelona, Spain, from January 30th to February 2nd. The aim is to raise awareness about sustainable technology in educational institutions and corporate environments. Through this participation, the company hopes to actively engage with these sectors to encourage the adoption of devices that are environmentally conscious, promoting a positive impact on the planet.

For more information about ViewSonic’s ethos on sustainability, please visit ViewSonic ESG website.

www.viewsonic.com

The Rivers Trust and Preventing Plastic Pollution are calling on primary schools across the country to help leading scientists find out!

Aimed at Key Stage 2 students, the Citizen Science & Litter Pick lesson plans will guide teachers and their classes through a litter pick activity. Schoolchildren will learn about why plastic pollution is a problem and how litter around the school can actually end up in the sea!

Around 80% of all marine litter comes from a land source and many items find their way to the ocean via rivers. We are increasingly seeing the devastation plastic and microplastics have on the natural environment, and coverage of pollution in the oceans is now commonplace. These lessons are not just about learning and raising awareness but also about inspiring action and behaviour change to protect the natural world from the harms of plastic pollution.

As well as developing an online open-source platform for schools around the country to submit their data, the Rivers Trust has made a fun and easy-to-use toolkit with a presentation and lesson plans which bring to life the issue of plastic pollution and guide teachers through a 90-minute lesson and litter picking activity.

Clare Whitelegg, East of England Project Officer at the Rivers Trust, said: “We are really excited to bring this resource to schools as it empowers children to make a visible difference to their school environment by keeping their outdoor spaces plastic free and preventing plastic from polluting rivers and watercourses.

“We have trialled this lesson in primary schools in Norfolk and the feedback both from teachers and students has been very positive, with the lesson sparking further conversation around responsibilities for littering and around packaging production.

“By submitting their data on the citizen science platform, children will see their results appear in real time and see how their efforts are contributing to an international research project on preventing plastic pollution”

The Citizen Science & Litter Pick activity includes:

• Lesson plans for lower and upper Key Stage 2 (with links to the citizen science platform)
• A presentation on preventing plastic pollution to use in class
• Guidance on how to run a litter pick safely around your school

Litter Pick and Citizen Science Lesson Plans

Plastic Oceans UK is the team behind the ground-breaking film A Plastic Ocean, which first raised awareness of the terrible consequences single-use plastic was having on the environment when it was released in 2016. As part of the film’s legacy programme, one of the film researchers, Jessica Hickie, has spent the last two years developing the ‘Wave One’ lesson plans, with materials that can seamlessly fit into seven IGCSE syllabus subjects.

Jessica says, “As a science teacher, I know delivering the national curriculum is very pressurised so there is little or no spare time to prepare materials to teach extra-curricular subjects, regardless of how important or passionate you are about them. For this teaching material to make an impact it was imperative that it could replace existing lessons by delivering the required outcomes stated in the national curriculum.

“Each lesson is differentiated to three different learning levels and contains the terminology for each target age group so there is no additional work required by the teachers. We have been successfully trialling the material in Brannel School, St Austell, and the response from both teachers and students has been overwhelmingly positive.”

The new Teaching materials are geared towards Key Stages 3 and 4, and are available to download for free from June 8th at www.plasticoceans.uk.

The packs are currently available in English and French, and can be used in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Geography, Maths, English Language and Design Technology. Each pack contains the following:

•Lesson plan with cross curricular opportunities
•Resource information
•PowerPoint presentation (most with film clips included)
•Activity sheets/information for the students

Jo Ruxton, founder and CEO of Plastic Oceans UK and co-producer of A Plastic Ocean says, “Since the release of A Plastic Ocean, we have taken forward our legacy work to raise awareness, and form action-focused programmes. Our film was the first tool of our global education work and it has already opened the hearts and minds of people all over the world and from all walks of life. Our plan is to perpetuate and spread that message through our work in schools and communities to turn the messages of the film into action and provide the wave of change we need.

Jo added: “What sets us apart as an organisation is that we have a global view of the issue and have worked with scientists for eight years, out on the ocean and in the laboratories. We have witnessed and documented the disturbing consequences of ingested plastic in seabirds, turtles, marine mammals and fish. And we want to pass that knowledge to as many as we can.”

www.plasticoceans.uk

The Plastic Bottle Boat Challenge is an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the simultaneous launch of a flotilla of plastic boats. The boats will be made out of recycled plastic bottles by primary school children across the country. The boats themselves will then be recycled after the attempt has been made, showing the importance of reusing and recycling materials.

The Plastic Bottle Boat Challenge is intended to demonstrate the impact that plastic bottle waste can have on the environment. Participating schools have access to a hub of resources for teachers to support learning centred around the issues of plastic pollution in the oceans, the environment, recycling and the circular economy and all educators are invited to contribute or use the resources available to support their school’s curriculum.

The Guinness World Record attempt follows a similar attempt achieved, in the development of the project, by the pupils at St. James’ Church of England Academy in Bournemouth, with the support of the Queen Mary Sailing Club. 330 plastic bottle boats were successfully launched, officially setting a new world record, and recycled. What began in one school has now been taken up by over 60 schools, with more than 6,000 pupils and over 300 teachers involved. Organisers are anticipating many more to follow.

Jeremy Payne, Principal of St. James’ Church of England Academy in Bournemouth, said:

“I’ve been thrilled by the huge response we’ve had to the Plastic Bottle Boat Challenge, with schools up and down the country asking to take part. Young people in school today will bear the brunt of the future environmental impact of waste plastic, so it’s essential that they learn to take responsibility for their own plastic use. We have seen first-hand how passionate the children become about this subject when they really see the consequences of our actions.”

“The Plastic Bottle Boat Challenge offers an exciting way to simultaneously unite schools in plastic education and also attempt to set a new Guinness World Record. We all have an important role to play in looking after the future of the planet, and the Plastic Bottle Boat Challenge teaches that every one of us must play our part in combatting this global issue.”

Speaking about the challenge, Revered John Pares, Priest in Charge of St James and St Clements Churches in the Diocese of Winchester, and governor of St. James’ Church of England Academy, said:

“This project is a wonderful, inventive way of encouraging young people to take responsibility for their environment. I think we are all increasingly aware of the damage that plastic is doing to the oceans and our coastline, and it is vital that we take action now to preserve and defend all of God’s creation.

“Care for the environment is fundamental to Christian faith, as we seek to protect the gifts that God has given us and create more sustainable communities. The Plastic Bottle Boat Challenge, which began at St. James’ Church of England Academy, is now raising awareness and inspiring environmental responsibility in school children across the county.”

The Guinness World Record Attempt is taking place on Wednesday 27th June, 2018 at 14:00 BST. Simultaneously, at multiple locations around the country, thousands of plastic bottle boats will be launched, retrieved and recycled.

The idea for the challenge originated at Queen Mary Sailing Cub hoping to connect with local schools and has now been supported by the Heathrow Community Fund with an initial grant of £17,000 to enable the production of a website to scale the project nationally.

Tony Bishop, Club Secretary at Queen Mary Sailing Club said:

“It’s overwhelming the amount of support we have received for the challenge, the response from schools and teachers has been fantastic. Sign up will remain open right up to the day of the attempt and there is a great team behind the challenge to support anyone wishing to get involved.”

Schools across the country are invited to visit the website at www.plasticbottleboatchallenge.com and sign some, or all, of their children up for the attempt on June 27th this year.

The winning idea for a primary school, invented by Beaulieu Primary School in Jersey was a water exploration board for children in Foundation Stage and Key Stage One to explore water through play in the outdoor learning area.

The winning idea for a secondary school was invented by a schoolboy at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys. The creation is a candle holder that amplifies its light through a polished trowel head.

Waste Week is an annual campaign run by EDF Energy’s schools programme, The Pod, which targets students aged between four and 14. Teachers are encouraged to get their students thinking about the most innovative ways waste can be transformed in their lessons, including using recycled materials for activities such as arts and crafts and gardening during a week of their choice in March.

This year, students were also given the opportunity to take part in a competition to create a ground-breaking upcycling invention to demonstrate how discarded materials can have a second life and be converted into useful items. The competition was judged by Katy Newnham. CEO and found of social enterprise Wastebuster, and David Ferguson, Head of Digital Innovation, at EDF Energy and the prize was a £300 Amazon voucher for the winning schools.

Year 5 teacher Mrs Kelly Cronin from Beaulieu Primary school commented: “We are so proud to have won EDF Energy’s national competition as part of Waste Week 2017. We created a water exploration board for our outside learning area. It was a real effort across the whole school, and some of the children’s parents even came in to help to fix the equipment in place. The children and the teachers all learnt lots, and really enjoyed getting creative with the school’s old equipment.”

Mr Williams, a Technology Teacher from Altrincham Grammar School, commented: “Daniel’s upcycled candle was an innovative design, and we are delighted that Daniel has been rewarded for his efforts. The whole class really enjoyed taking part in the competition for Waste Week 2017, and we’ll definitely look to take part again in future.”

Robyn Thorn, Digital Education Manager at EDF Energy, added: “We have been very impressed by the quality of the entries to the competition. Shortlisting them was a really difficult task, as there were so many really creative ideas. EDF Energy is committed to encouraging children to take an active interest in sustainability, science and engineering from a young age we have been really pleased that so many schools have joined in with Waste Week again this year.

Through http://jointhepod.org/home, schools have access to assembly presentations, lesson plans, games, movies and more, all with cross curricular links as well as ‘take it home’ sheets so children can share what they learn about waste with their families.