Pupils to help Wipe Out Waste in 2011

Yeo Valley calls on local schools to enter search for next big green idea

Sustainability, environmental and ethical issues are central themes at Yeo Valley and the Somerset-based dairy and farming business strives to be at the forefront of new eco-ideas and developments. With this in mind, the UK’s number one organic dairy brand is calling for school children aged 10 and over to come up with one big idea that will help reduce the amount of waste generated by their school, as it joins forces with Footprint Friends’ Wipe Out Waste (WOW) initiative for the 2011 awards.

Pupils have until the 1st March to enter their idea via the Footprint Friends website, with the top 20 being invited to attend the X-factor style ‘welly’ boot camp at Yeo Valley’s Holt Farm during the UK’s first Climate Week, 21st -27th March. During the camp the pupils will receive coaching from a set of eco mentors, giving them the opportunity to express their new waste-reducing ideas with industry leaders such as Government agency WRAP, the environment Agency and other Green leaders. At the end of the camp, the pupils will pitch their idea to a panel of judges, including Yeo Valley’s Graham Keating, for one of ten places in the final to be held in the summer term at the Bricks and Bread Sustainable Living Centre in Aldershot, Hampshire.

Last year’s winning pupils from Ringwood school, Hampshire, developed an idea for yogurt pots to be made from board or a standard recyclable plastic and since then have been active in raising the profile of plastic waste in schools generated at lunch times. This concept was of particular interest to Yeo Valley, as last year it re-launched its ‘Pots’ multipack range with fully recyclable pots made from 80% recycled plastic, a first for the yogurt market.

Graham Keating, Director of Communications at Yeo Valley said; “Looking after the environment around us is one of our key business priorities, and is reflected in everything we do. We were very impressed by last year’s winners; all the entries were incredibly original and creative and we’re really looking forward to being involved in this initiative again. The WOW initiative gives young people a voice on green issues and, by helping develop their ideas into business-sound proposals we hope that we can help promote the cause of sustainability in business.”

Pupils should work in teams of four to develop their idea, and the deadline for entries is 1st March. For more information about this Year’s WOW initiative, visit the Footprint Friends Home Page

Somerset-based Yeo Valley is a family run business, committed to sustainable, ethical and environmentally friendly British farming and is accredited by The Soil Association. For more information about Yeo Valley, product information and recipe ideas, please visit Yeo Vally - www.yeovalleyorganic.co.uk