GEORGE NEWS - Klouter Kabouter in New Dawn Park, George, recently received a certificate from Monica Vaccaro of the Landmark Foundation for registering as a Green Crèche in the Crèches Project.
As an initiative of the Landmark Foundation, the project forms part of its environmental education programme and aims to create environmental awareness at the roots of our society - the young children where habits are formed.
According to Erika Brown who is involved with the programme, the aim of the Crèches Project is to introduce recycling (waste separation) and food gardens as part of the schools learning programme. This programme is fully integrated into the early childhood education (ECD) curriculum and aims to make crèches more self-sufficient for the future. It also aims to minimise waste to landfill and introduce a sustainable food garden programme that forms part of the children's education.
"Klouter Kabouter is separating its waste and has reduced its black bag waste from 12 bags a week to approximately two bags," said Brown. "They collect bottle tops and bread tags for a wheelchair project; things that used to be thrown out are now re-used, such as the small yogurt tubs which will be used to plant seeds. During the planting season, every child will plant their own seeds and nurture it with loving care until it is ready to be planted into their own food garden. Their food waste and organic material is also separated and used for composting. All their cardboard boxes are also being used for composting."
Brown said a programme of this nature cannot grow without the commitment and dedication of the principal and staff. "We would like to take this opportunity to thank Dinah Maart, the principal, and the staff who embraced the programme with enthusiasm and have set the bar for the other crèches to follow."
The crèche received two trees as their initial package for registering and for composing a recycling nursery rhyme incorporating the three Rs. Nursery rhymes play an important role in ECD. The trees were sponsored by Landmark from their Trees and Seeds Fund. Ruan and Zoe from Living Soil donated home grown power composting for the tree and showed the children how to plant. The children got involved very quickly and listened attentively to all the stories of how to love and care for the trees.
*Creches that are interested and would like to register for this Environmental Awareness Program please contact: Monica Vaccaro on 083 711 8322 or Erika Brown on 079 538 1042.
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