Hastings and Napier primary and intermediate schools are being invited to take part in a fun and educational creative project that turns plastic waste into public art.
The project will see six schools selected to each create one word of a large-scale collaborative mural, using plastic lids, bottle caps, and other recycled materials.
Together, the artwork will spell out the phrase ‘This is the place called away,’ a powerful reflection on the 100,000 tonnes of waste sent to Ōmarunui Landfill every year.
Hastings District Council mātanga whakaiti para – waste minimisation specialist, Jordy Wiggins said the mural was a chance to combine art, waste education and student voices.
“We talk about throwing things ‘away,’ but Ōmarunui is the ‘away,’ and it’s right here in our region. This project asks tamariki to think about what happens to waste, and to channel that learning into something beautiful and meaningful.”
The mural will be made entirely from reused materials, with paint and glue also allowed. There’s no minimum number of students required to take part, schools can involve whole classes or just an enthusiastic group of kids.
Expressions of interest are now open, and schools can apply online at hastingsdc.govt.nz/waste.
Six schools will be selected to take part, but all schools are encouraged to apply, with the possibility of more projects in the future. The finished mural will be installed in Te Whare Mukupara, New Zealand’s only education centre based at a landfill.
Applications to participate close on Friday 25 July. To enter or find out more, visit hastingsdc.govt.nz/waste or email reducewaste@hdc.govt.nz.
