The Plastik’Akoz association and the Réunion academy have signed, almost a year ago, a partnership for the 2021-2022 school year with a view to developing joint actions on the theme of sustainable development and, more particularly, in the fight against plastic pollution.
Because of plastic (which brings together Crédit Agricole de La Réunion, Antenna Meeting, EDF, Leclerc Movement and Suez Meeting) and the Réunion academy have come together as part of the ExPLOI project (Indian Ocean plastic shipping) developed by the Indian Ocean Commission and dedicated to the fight against plastic pollution. This regional-scale project aims to provide a response to the problem of plastic pollution through three axes : improving knowledge of the impacts of marine pollution by plastic, environmental education and the development of a regional circular economy. The general objective of the partnership was to promote synergy between projects carried out by the educational community and those carried out by the partners of the Plastik’Akoz association.. Today, Reunionese educational establishments are engaged in an approach sometimes going as far as E3D labeling (School or establishment with a global approach to sustainable development) issued by the Ministry of National Education. A letter published each month on the academy website sets out all the latest news on education for sustainable development. Concretely, referent professors and corporate CSR managers have the mission of involving Reunion eco-delegates and co-liberator ambassadors of the founding companies of Plastik’Akoz in awareness-raising actions. Four actions punctuated the 2021-2022 school year as part of this partnership. In a direct way, these projects involved more than 70 establishments, more than a hundred classes, i.e. more than 3,000 students.
Le concours Volcano GameJam Junior
The objective of the competition was to create a video game on the themes of the water cycle in the qualifying phase, then on the reduction of plastics in the final phase. Seventeen colleges participated in this competition, i.e. 301 students (including 123 girls). The association Plastik'Akoz, who financed part of the actions, welcomed the nine finalist colleges to the Village By CA, June 10, 2022, to promote their production and give different gifts to the finalists (36 cycle 4 middle school students were accepted).
The “An Ocean of Solutions” project
Plastik’Akoz’s support for financing educational cities made it possible to reach 12 classes, six from Saint-Benoit and six from the Port, in a large-scale project combining participatory sciences, waste collection on the coast, awareness of the plastic problem, writing and visual arts workshops. The 12 teachers participating in the project also benefited from training. This project was presented on June 9 during World Oceans Day, and the funded video materials were shared with students from other schools. Promotions of the project took place in each participating school in the presence of parents. The stories written and illustrated by the children were printed, published in the form of small booklets given to each student.
The “Science Lakour plastics and oceans” competition
This competition, led by the association 'Les Petits Débrouillards, took place in three stages : field trip and analysis of the problem, understanding and illustration of the phenomena involved, search for innovative solution. Students from the four corners of the island, coming from eight schools and one high school, collected and categorized more than 9,000 pieces of waste via an application specially developed using a participatory science approach. They carried out manipulations, experiments to understand the pollution mechanisms involved. They came up with ways to reduce plastic pollution. A presentation of their work took place on June 8 at CREPS in Saint-Paul as part of World Oceans Day. The project presentation video capsules financed by Plastik’Akoz now constitute a communication tool to motivate teachers and their students to get involved in new projects.
Cleaning and waste collection
The operation concerned the surroundings of educational establishments in the commune of Trois-Bassins. 500 students and 70 teachers and parent volunteers took part in this action.. It was part of the World Clean Up Day which was a great success and strong mobilization in Reunion Island.. Because of plastic, who contributed to this action, also organized its first edition on the waterfront of the city of Port and in the Gillot airport area. The 75 employees of the companies involved collected 2,5 tons of waste.
