Students have encouraged members of the community to support companies that use recycled packaging, using a variety of media.
Students have recorded songs using the app Garageband - the song Buy Recycled Too features on this page, the song Changing the World features on the page 'Educating students for a sustainable future!'
Students have written Letters to the Editor and submitted them to NIE Youth in Print at the Townsville Bulletin. These letters appear below.
We should support companies that use recycled packaging because it helps the environment, the people and the animals. Little things can make a difference. By recycling just one cardboard box you can power a 100 watt light bulb for four hours. If all the companies in the world used recycled packaging, think of all of the electricity we could save. So now you have no reason not to support companies that use recycled packaging.
Cain
We should support companies that use recycled packaging because it is better for our environment. By using one tonne of recycled paper or cardboard we can save approximately 13 trees, 2.5 barrels of oil, 4100 kilowatts of electricity, 4 cubic metres of landfill and 31.7 kilolitres of water. So we should support companies that use recycled packaging for a more sustainable future.
Thomas
When we recycle we reduce the need to use natural resources and it helps conserve raw materials. Recycling uses less energy than producing new products from raw materials, therefore saving energy and helping to reduce greenhouse gases. Recycling reduces landfill, saving land and reducing methane gas, a greenhouse gas. By supporting companies that use recycled packaging we can do all of this.
Sean
Support companies that use recycled packaging because it saves trees and so animals can have a home. By supporting companies that use recycled packaging might encourage other companies to do the same. Companies that use recycled packaging reduce deforestation.
Brendyn
I think supporting companies that use recyclable packaging is a sustainable and fantastic idea because you help the environment and everyone on our earth have a safe and sustainable future.
Four million tonnes of packaging is used in Australia each year. If every company in Australia recycled just one package we could almost halve that amount. Supporting companies that use recyclable packaging, you will not only help those companies, you will help the environment.
Lele
It is important to support companies that use recycled packaging because if we don't, we're going to keep mining more ore. Did you know that steel can be reproduced back into steel cans? One tonne of recycled steel saves 1.5 tonnes of iron ore, 0.5 tonnes of coke, 40% of the water and 1/4 of the energy (compared to producing new steel). If we don't recycle we will run out of ore quicker than if we recycle and buy recycled.
A few companies that use recycled packaging are Greens, KFC, Cussons, Arnotts, Kellogg’s and Uncle Toby's. At the rate we're going, Earth will be a barren wasteland - do you want that?
Samuel
I think supporting companies that use recycled packaging is a wonderful and nice way to save the environment. Just one tonne of recycled cardboard can save 13 trees. The energy saved by recycling just one aluminium drink can is enough to run a television for three hours. Supporting companies that use recycled packaging can help everyone have a sustainable future!
Alyssa
Support Companies that use recycled packaging: If you just save one tonne of paper it will approximately 13 trees, 2.5 barrels of oil, 4.100 kWh of electricity, 4m3 of landfill and 31.7kl of water. That’s saving so much, and think you are only saving one tonne of cardboard or paper. So do your bit and save one tonne of cardboard or paper and you will save so much!
Josh
It is important to support companies that use recycled packaging because it will prevent deforestation and loss of oxygen. This matter can become more serious if companies don't start using more recycled packaging.
Starting with deforestation, are you thinking, 'what is deforestation?' deforestation is when there is a permanent destruction of forests, woodlands and animal habitats. Deforestation makes a huge impact on our environment everyday there are more and more trees being cut down which means less oxygen to breathe with. We have a growing population, if we don't have enough trees we won't have enough air in our environment. More trees, more oxygen and more recycled packaging.
Having a sustainable future is about working in partnership with communities, government and business, together we can create innovative and practical solutions for a sustainable world. Our environment is our responsibility not only for us but our future generations. No one knows what the future will be, except that it will be very different to what life is today and that decisions about whether the future will be a sustainable one or not. We will try and make a start to a sustainable future, by using recycled packaging.
Making a truly eco-friendly product keeps both environment and human safety in mind. At a minimum, the product is non-toxic. Other eco-friendly attributes include the use of sustainably grown or raised ingredients, produced in ways that do not deplete the ecosystem. Products with "made from recycled materials" contain glass, wood, metal or plastic reclaimed from waste products and made into something new. Biodegradable products break down through natural decomposition, which is less taxing on landfills and the ecosystem as a whole, this is why we should support those companies that already use recycled packaging and encourage more companies to do the same.
I conclude that using recycled packaging is already making a huge impact on preventing deforestation and a greater improvement on both our eco system and a sustainable future.
Megan