Tauranga City Council provides free Zero Waste Education to all primary / intermediate schools in Tauranga.

Educators teach a range of subjects over three years including:

• reducing waste
• reusing waste
• recycling
• composting
• resource sustainability

Worms 4 Schools

Worms 4 Schools is a programme run to help pre-schools and schools set up their own worm farms and provides ongoing support for worm composting. Click here to find out more information, or call the Waste Minimisation Programme Leader on (07) 577 7000.

Waste Audits help schools to look at ways they can reduce waste in the school grounds.  Below are two examples of waste audits undertaken with Tauranga City Council alongside schools.

Tahatai Coast School: Tahatai Coast undertook a waste audit in 2006 and a follow up audit in 2007. Waste Audit Report.

Otumoetai College: The college undertook a waste audit in 2006. Amongst their waste minimisation initiatives, worm farms are used to make a liquid fertiliser meaning that the school does not have to buy any chemical fertilisers to use on their grounds. 

Any queries please call Tauranga City Council and ask to speak to the Waste Minimisation Programme Leader on 07 577 7000.

Paper for Trees Programme

This hugely successful programme gives native trees to schools that recycle paper and cardboard. The programme began in 2001 and is now used in thousands of schools around New Zealand. Tauranga City Council sponsor the programme in the Tauranga area. For more information see paper for trees

Welcome Bay Kindergarten takes part in the Paper4Trees programme and received 15 trees in 2009 for their contribution of 3.75 tonnes of paper and cardboard recycling. This has saved 30 cubic metres of landfill space and 9.45 tonnes of carbon. 

Websites relevant to reducing waste in your school

Waste-Free lunches   
Waste Not Project 
Bokashi (200kb pdf)
WasteMinz 
Zero Waste
Measuring Change