Rapping Robots & Talking Bins Teach Kids About Green Issues

Young people in North Liverpool have been learning how recycling and waste affects our planet with the help of a rapping robot and talking litter bin.  Jigsaw Neighbourhood Solutions (JNS), part of Vicinity Housing Group, has been working with local primary schools to encourage an understanding of recycling. With the help of 'Recycler - the rapping robot', pupils are learning all about the three 'Rs', 'reduce, reuse and recycle'. Julie Brown, Head of Our Lady Immaculate RC Primary School in Kirkdale said: "Children quickly join in with the rap - it's a great way for them to learn new facts whilst having lots of fun."

Every household in the UK throws away more than one tonne of waste each year and more than half of this could be recycled (source Waste Watch). Recycler, organised by Waste Watch, a UK environmental charity, shows children what they can do to reduce their waste and put the three Rs into practice at home and school.

Meanwhile talking litter bins that have been placed in the City Centre North area are helping children to realise the importance of rubbish disposal. Local children are recording their own messages that are played when the bin is 'fed' making rubbish disposal interactive fun.  The larger-than-life creatures are operated by a light sensor which triggers the voice box when the light is blocked. The five-foot high themed litter bins designed to look like penguins, thought to be the first of their kind in Merseyside, have different messages recorded by the children saying sentences such as "Thank you that is the best meal I have had all day".
 

Making a stand for green issues doesn’t just stop there as JNS has also been working with another group in Anfield/Breckfield to transform their neighbourhood. Following a trip to the National Wildflower Centre, which piqued their interest in urban conservation and its benefit to both people and wildlife, the group transformed a derelict part of the neighbourhood into a wildflower garden. The result of their work is a glorious gift to the whole community.  It’s thanks to projects like these that JNS recently won the Strictly Regeneration Award 2009 ‘Good Practice in Neighbourhood Management’ for the 3rd successive year.

Terry Bouch from Jigsaw says: “Re-cycling and green issues are high on our agenda and finding interesting ways to get the message across to young people and getting them involved in projects is really important.”
 

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