the happy bin

How the project works

The Happy Bin project is designed for Key Stage 2 pupils in UK Primary schools. It uses the existing school curriculum in a creative and artistic way to address two pressing environmental problems:

1. Can we do something practical in school to reduce our carbon footprint?

2. What do we do with our waste?

   
   

   The Puppet Show

   The project begins with a professional puppetry show, developed by Vagabondi Puppets, to motivate pupils.

   The puppets introduce children to the problems of disposing waste in landfill. The show reminds children of the possibilities of reuse and recycling but more importantly develops the theme further.

   It shows children the potential for reducing and refusing waste with collective positive community action.

   
   

   Classroom activities and monitoring waste on the web

   Following the initial puppet show, for six weeks, as part of their science, literacy, maths, IT and creative arts curriculum, the children work through a series of twelve lessons, professionally prepared for the project.

   These lessons help children to understand some of the environmental problems caused by the waste we produce and encourage them to explore ideas on how to reduce and refuse waste.

   In addition, each week the children collect and weigh the waste produced at their school and e mail their results to this website. Both the total amount of waste produced by each school and the amount per pupil on roll are displayed on this site.

   
   

   Click on:

   • The school's name to see its weekly performance

   • The weekly figures which compare the performance of participating schools.

   
   

   We know from experience that the incentive of emailing and publishing their school's weekly weight of waste encourages many pupils to reduce their contribution to landfill!

   To develop 'citizenship skills' the children also share their 'good waste minimisation ideas' and their 'waste minimisation problems' with other pupils in the participating schools through the secure message board on this website.

   
   

   Provides teacher training

   The Happy Bin project has been designed by practicing teachers with knowledge of what can be practically achieved in a classroom. Training has been given to school staff about the workings of this specific project at the Centre for Alternative Technology.

   
   

   The future

   Ecodyfi is managing both the financial workings and the appraisal of different stages of the project.

   If you are interested in developing the project in either your school or in your area please contact either:

   • Ian Mitchell at the Green Egg Co. on 01970 832161

   • Bev Dimmock at Ecodyfi on 01654 703965