World Environment Day helps kids create a better planet

MORE than 200 primary school children will participate in a range of environmental activities at Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre for World Environment Day.

ENVIRONMENT EXCITEMENT: More than 200 children from primary schools across the Northern Rivers will celebrate World Environment Day at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre on Wednesday June 7. Picture: Supplied

MONDAY is World Environment Day and Lismore City Council is celebrating with a regional schools event at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre two days later on Wednesday June 7

Around 200 students from schools across the Northern Rivers will attend the day and take part in a range of activities looking at environmental issues, from stormwater health and recycling initiatives to koala conservation and renewable energy.

Waste Education Officer Barbara Jensen said World Environment Day provided Council with the perfect opportunity to instil good environmental values in young people through fun activities.

"Young people really love to absorb environmental information and often feel passionate about issues of recycling, water and animal health, and renewable energy,” Ms Jensen said..

"They are the best advocates for changing old habits, and they take learnings back into the home, often teaching and encouraging their parents to become better recyclers and think about energy and waste usage.”

Ms Jensen said there is a lot to see here at the facility with the Materials Recovery Facility and the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens alongside each other.

"It's a great space to teach kids about the practical workings of our Council facilities and show them first-hand how small changes at home can make a difference to the environment,” she said.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in a range of activities focused on experiencing and preserving the environment.

The 45-minute activities include bus tours of the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre, water experiments assessing water health in the dam, guided walks through the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens, activities with Friends of the Koala, performance-based education with North East Waste's The Greenhouse team, and examining critters under the microscope with Southern Cross University's research lab staff.

The event is free for the schools to participate and runs from 10am to 1.30pm.