We are delighted to announce that Bord na Móna Recycling has been shortlisted for the Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Awards for our Primary Schools Upcycling Competition. At Bord na Móna Recycling we take pride in our commitment to environmental education and sustainability. This nomination for the Community Programme Award reflects our dedication to promoting environmental awareness within communities across Ireland.
Launched in January 2024, the Primary Schools Upcycling Competition aimed to raise awareness about upcycling as an environmentally friendly practice, whilst fostering creative thinking and stimulating conversations about waste management in the classroom setting. A central aspect of the competition was encouraging students to repurpose discarded materials into innovative and functional creations, using materials that would typically be considered waste or discarded items. Over 500 entries were received in the competition, with each showcasing an incredible level of ingenuity and a deep commitment to sustainability.
Through this competition, live classroom talks, and interactive education packs we have educated, inspired, and instilled responsibility and environmental awareness in students, emphasising their role in creating a sustainable future.
Gaelscoil Chaladh an Treoigh, Limerick were named the winner of the Primary Schools Upcycling Competition, receiving a prize of €5000 and guided tours of Bord na Móna’s Lough Boora Discovery Park and Mountlucas Wind Farm in Offaly. Their winning entry saw 30 old pallets illustrated with forest wildlife, birds, mini-beats & native trees and subsequently mounted and secured in front of newly sowed native trees to protect them from footballs and other playground games.
There are plans to build on the success of this year’s project by launching a 2024/2025 initiative earlier in the school year. This initiative will run for the entire school term, a change that will provide more time for schools to get involved. In addition, there are plans for the programme to to be expanded to include secondary schools, with Bord na Móna working with Green Schools Ireland to target and engage key class groups, particularly transition-year students.
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