Frequently Asked Questions
Great question! There are a number of reasons why we are still using paper booklets.
1. Access! Not all schools have devices for all students. Printing paper booklets means we can ensure that all students can work at their own pace.
2. Sharing. Students can take their resources home and share with their whānau. Our kaupapa is not just teaching the younger generation, but also the wider community.
3. Money. Quite simply, online resources would take a huge amount of money to set up and would require further costs to maintain. Zero Waste Education isn’t a huge corporation, our educators are self-employed contractors to a non profit organisation.
4. Flexibility. Using paper resources means we can change things that are out of date, or things that aren’t quite working, frequently.
Our specially trained educators teach all units. We do ask that classroom teachers stay with their students to help facilitate their visit.
Zero Waste Education is available to primary, intermediate and preschools in the following districts.
- Carterton
- Central Hawkes Bay
- Clutha
- Hauraki
- Horowhenua
- Kapiti Coast
- Manawatu
- Matamata-Piako
- Masterton
- New Plymouth
- Opotiki
- Rangitikei
- Ruapehu
- South Wairarapa
- South Waikato
- Tararua
- Tauranga City
- Thames-Coromandel
- Wellington City
- Western Bay of Plenty
- Whakatane
- Whanganui
The Zero Waste Education programme consists ten different units focussing on s specific solution to our waste problem.
Preschools: Zero the Hero
Year 1&2: Is That Really Rubbish / The Litterless Lunchbox
Year 3&4: Reduce / Reuse
Year 5&6: Recycle / Compost
Year 7&8: Resource Sustainability / Water
Year 5-8: Rural Recycling
The programme is taught by a specialist educator with extensive knowledge of waste minimisation in a real world context. Unit plants are provided prior to the visit to assist teachers in undertaking curriculum planning. These unit plans also contain suggested hands-on extension activities, writing tasks and links to resources.
In council funded areas we can teach year 0-8s. Depending on the area, there might be an early childhood teacher available as well.
Contact your local council and suggest they support us. Specifically the Solid Waste Team
If your school is offered Zero Waste Education, it is provided by your council and usually from the Waste Levy funds. This free Council programme enables children to investigate the link between the earth’s natural resources, the products they use and see around them and the resulting waste (natural resources we no longer want) that pollutes our environment.
You can book your school by filling in online form, or email us on office@zerowasteeducation.co.nz
When you send an email to us, please remember to write your school/preschool’s name.
Each group of students can be taught once per year. A school can be visited multiple times per year, as long as a different class is taught each time.
Zero Waste Education doesn’t cost schools anything in our funded, thanks to the support of councils!
Preschools are offered one 45 minute lesson. The two Year 1&2 units comprise of two 45-minute lessons. The Year 3-8 units each comprise four 45-minute lessons. All units are taught by a specialist educator. Teachers can opt for one 45-minute lesson per day, or 90-minute sessions comprising of two lessons (with a 10 minute break mid-session).
ECEs have one lesson that is 30 minutes in total.
Year 1-2 have two 45mins lessons
Year 3-8 units comprise 3 x 1 hour or 4 x 45min lessons.
All units include discussion, activities and a chance to move and talk.