School revels in recycling reward

Hinuera School students are swapping scrap paper for seedlings as part of the nationwide Paper4trees scheme.

Last week the kids planted 15 native seedlings that they earned by recycling paper and cardboard at their school.

Principal Dean McDonnell said the initiative taught the children about sustainability and the recycling process.

‘‘We are getting the kids to understand why they need to recycle,’’ Mr McDonnell said.

‘‘As an Enviroschool, we try to teach the kids about looking after the environment for the future, so it fits in with that really well.’’

Paper4trees was set up to encourage schools and preschools to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill.

Schools are provided with an easy-to-use paper and cardboard recycling system and receive one native plant for every two cubic metres of paper they recycle in a year.

Last year, Hinuera School collected about 900 green recycling bins of scrap paper and cardboard.

Mr McDonnell said the Matamata-Piako District Council had really jumped on board with the project.

‘‘We don’t get regular recycling collection out here, so a couple of council guys come and pick all the paper up and take it to the transfer station for us,’’ he said.

The Paper4trees programme is sponsored by national sponsors, local businesses, corporate sponsors and local government.