MANY schools around Co Down are getting involved in environmentally-friendly green projects and a recent one in Donaghadee has opened up a ‘can of worms’.
Pupils at Donaghadee Primary School were presented with a brand new wormery in recognition of their commitment to reducing and re-using waste from Ards Borough Council. Worms will now be munching away on the school’s kitchen and garden waste, turning, eating up to their own body weight in food every day, and producing compost for pupils to use in their garden.
Donaghadee Primary has already introduced a comprehensive environmental programme, using blue bins to recycle paper, cardboard, tins and plastic bottles, monitoring electricity usage, while also developing outdoor learning by planting herbs and vegetables, a willow arch, trees, and creating a log pile to attract insects and other wildlife.
The introduction of the wormery also coincides with Northern Ireland Composting Week which runs until 30th May, helping to highlight how simple it can be to turn waste into something to be re-used in gardens, pots and planters and all at no cost, as Clive Catterson, Waste Awareness Officer with the Council, explained:
“Wormeries are hygienic and odourless, take up very little space, are very popular with children and ideally suited for the school environment, and together with home composting bins can make a real difference to the amount of garden and organic food waste which is diverted away from landfill sites,” said Mr Catterson. “Donaghadee Primary has been working extremely hard to recycle and re-use as much of its waste as possible and the wormery will assist further, as well as being a great educational tool. I would encourage other schools in Ards to consider a similar project and am on hand to offer advice and assistance”.
If you would like to know more about home composting, log on to www.rethinkwasteni.org or contact Clive Catterson, Waste Awareness Officer at Ards Borough Council, Tel: 028 9182 4024.
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