Waste Watch

The Co-operative Group

The issue: The Co-operative Group wanted to use its in-house recycling facilities to educate young people about recycling and sustainability.

The challenge: The Co-operative Group asked for help to maximise a small budget and change disused office space into a recycling education centre to educate young people and others in the community about sustainability. We needed an appealing, creative and sustainable design to ensure young people had an interactive, fun experience, while being encouraged to change their behaviour at home and school. The education programmes had to make good use of the space and support the national curriculum.

Our approach: We worked closely with exhibition designers who worked on the Natural History Museum; and the Co-operative's sustainability team to develop Waste Works. It's an exciting, flexible building which is bursting with sustainable features - the table tops are even made from recycled mobile phones! We have developed hands-on, interactive recycling and sustainability programmes; and workshops for Co-operative staff to learn about sustainability. Waste Watch staff manage Waste Works, which has received coverage in the national media as a flagship centre for recycling education in the UK.

The results: Up to 250 young people visit Waste Works each week, and we have expanded our programmes for young people to include recycling, waste reduction, and energy. We have also developed a sustainability programme for adults and taken on an additional staff member to cope with the demand!