Recycle for Istrina 2011

Friday, 28 October 2011 14:20

Irrickla ghall-Istrina, meaning ‘Recycle for Istrina’ is the latest initiative by GreenPak, with the aim of collecting funds for Istrina 2011 through recycling practices.  This innovative campaign encourages primary school students to contribute to local charities while also increasing their commitment to recycling.  The campaign was launched today by GreenPak at Fgura Primary School.

GreenPak has supplied some 40 primary schools with recycling containers into which students will place any plastic caps they collect and bring to school.

GreenPak’s educators - along with GreenPak’s mascot, Green Gary - are visiting each and every participating school to explain the scope and benefits of this initiative. Students are encouraged to help raise funds for l-Istrina through recycling. The more plastic bottle caps they collect, the bigger is their school’s donation towards Istrina.

As one of Malta's major charity events, Istrina is organised by the Malta Community Chest Fund and involves the airing of a 12-hour TV marathon on 26 December 2011. Before school breaks for Christmas, GreenPak will weigh the total caps collected by each school and depending on weight, GreenPak will donate 1 euro per kilogram or 1,000 euro per tonne towards Istrina. Current market prices for such selling such material are much less than this and GreenPak will contribute the difference to support Community Chest Fund.

As 2011 is the European Year of Volunteering, the two activities of contributing to charities through Istrina and the recycling of waste go hand in hand perfectly. Although somewhat different in their immediate goals, they are both recognised as important aspects of a healthy Maltese society.
In merging these two socially beneficial activities, Irrickla ghall-Istrina aims to promote among younger generations the importance of both efforts and, in turn, help contribute to a more caring and environmentally friendly future.