What a cool idea: Pupils milk recycling project

Woodbury School pupils have milked the ultimate recycling project, using 600 plastic bottles to build an igloo at the school.

Pupils at the five-teacher primary school on the outskirts of Geraldine, at the foothills of the Four Peaks Range, refused to allow the project to freeze over, spending seven months on the construction of the shelter traditionally constructed from snow.

The children collected more than 600 bottles over the seven months, starting the build in April.

Woodbury School principal Mike de Joux said the igloo was built in stages as the plastic milk bottles came in.

He said the idea for the shelter’s construction came about as part of an integrated unit involving both teachers and pupils.

‘‘We created new societies that the kids were not familiar with and looked at alternative housing,’’ he said. ‘‘The idea evolved as part of this.’’

The project involved all of the school’s pupils from years 1 to 6 and a great deal of teamwork, he said.

De Joux said the plastic milk bottles used during the project would be recycled but just what they would be reused for was yet to be decided.

‘‘We plan to have it [the igloo] stay up next year as well,’’ he said.

Pupils at the school also recently grew potatoes, of the highlander variety, with the first harvest dug up and sold earlier this month.

Money raised will go towards the school’s next project, a bike track.

Plans have already been drawn up, and as with the crop, pupils have been able to present some of their ideas.

‘‘We’ve got to include them as much a possible.’’

Designed as a flat track, it will also have a couple of bumps, steep rises, and some built wooden structures.

‘‘We plan to have it [the igloo] stay up next year as well.’’ Principal Mike de Joux