In a world without steel, could Minecraft diamond pickaxes be used to drill for oil? Are recycled steel products made from tomato soup tins red?
Sound familiar? If so, you must have attended one of my educational workshops promoting the benefits of steel packaging recycling. Many thanks for attending!
While we all enjoy the workshops, the subject couldn't be more serious. Focused on the role of steel packaging in our everyday lives - and the importance of recycling it - my mission is to drive meaningful change among school children and local communities around the UK. If we all adopt the right purchasing and recycling habits, together we can radically reduce food waste and landfill.
Zoom on the schools education programme
Today’s school children are interested, engaged and impressively well-informed. They are the first generation to have grown up on a diet of recycling messages. And they are far from an easy crowd...
My approach is to educate and engage them in a spirit of exchange and discovery. I tailor the presentation to their age, the topics they’ve been studying, and the specific requests of their teachers.
The children respond with great interest. They’re fascinated by the life cycle of steel, from raw material, to shop shelves, to their homes and back to steel works to be repurposed as new products. When they learn that steel can be recycled infinitely, astonishment washes over the room. And when we explore the potential of canned food to reduce food waste and landfill, jaws drop. Add in interactive hands-on activities, and our discussions are both informative and lively.
So what’s next?
As you’ll have noticed, I’m passionate about promoting positive steel packaging purchasing choices and recycling habits at grass roots level. And our workshops are making a real difference.
In close collaboration with Metal Matters and local councils, we will continue to bring our valuable messages to local communities across the UK. And I’m determined to extend our campaign’s reach beyond the classroom to include guide and ranger groups, holiday clubs and church youth groups, and local authorities, for example.
In addition, we’ll soon launch a page dedicated to the education programme on our website. Featuring useful information, images and a link to book a workshop, it will make it quick and easy for people to get involved. Watch this space for news of the launch date!
So there’s a lot in the pipeline! If you’d like to learn more about our education programme, please email me eleanor.shorland@tatasteeleurope.com or message me on Facebook or Twitter.
