Upcycling creations encouraged in Sustainable Taranaki’s school competition

Addison Moore and Milly Stone won first place in The Junction Zero Waste Hub's Taranaki Schools Upcycling Competition in 2023. Photo / Alyssa Smith

Taranaki kids are encouraged to turn trash into treasure for a region-wide competition.

Entries are now open for The Junction Zero Waste Hub Taranaki School’s Upcycling Competition and Zero Waste Hub Education programme co-ordinator Dave Malcolm said the competition, now in its second year, was inspired by the Summer Upcycling challenge.

“We created a school competition to help embed the reuse and upcycling culture into the community. It’s about educating people with upstream solutions to help reduce waste which we do through various workshops and competitions like these.”

He said small-town schools were the stand-outs in last year’s competition last year.

“These small towns are rural communities that show us townies how it’s done. I’d like for this year for schools from across the region to enter. Upcycling is about taking something and adding value to it either by refurbishing, adding to it or repurposing. Stratford has proven to be very good at being sustainable with resources.”

Last year’s winners were Addison Moore and Milly Stone from Stratford Primary School, Malcolm said.

“They turned animal feed bags, coffee sacks and some fabric into upcycled planter bags. It was also great they were part of a young enterprise business scheme, making money for their school. Kids are leading the way in sustainability and creating an amazing sustainable business model that adults themselves could use.”

He said the competition has two categories, primary-intermediate and secondary. To enter, students have to supply before and after photos, planning, and evidence of what they have created.

“The project must also be predominantly made using upcycled or recycled objects. They can use some new materials but no more than 50 per cent of the whole product can be made using new things.”

The winners of the school’s competition will receive Mitre-10 gift vouchers for their school and some merchandise from The Junction Zero Waste Hub.

“We have a reuse shop where people bring in some items they no longer need which are then turned into other items. The winners get some cool prizes.”

With entries open until August, he said there is still plenty of time to enter.

“I hope lots of kids around Taranaki take up the challenge. I can’t wait to see what they create.”

The Details:

What: The Junction Zero Waste Hub Taranaki School’s Upcycling Competition

When: Entries close Friday, August 9

Registration: Sustainable Taranaki website or Facebook page