20 years of the
Environmental Educational for Sustainability Trust
2000
EERST started in 2000 by Bruce Trask (MNZM) and Marty Hoffart.
An application to the Environmental Enhancement Fund saw the Paper4trees programme start in Bay of Plenty schools.
By November that year EERST had earned its first award from the regional council for promoting environmental awareness in schools.
Nationwide Impact
Environmental Education for Resource Sustainability Trust is a non-profit organisation that runs environmental education programmes.
Our aim is to educate all sectors of the community on the importance of eliminating waste for the benefit of local communities and the global environment.
Paper4trees and Water4schools became the main programmes run by EERST.
2001
EERST was awarded First Place in the Education category by Environment Bay Of Plenty.
By this time we had 36 schools involved that recycled 215 tonnes of paper.
Schools Involved
Tonnes Recycled
36
215
2002
Environment Bay of Plenty awarded EERST a Highly Commended award for acting in an environmentally sensitive manner.
This was for environmental education programmes in school, businesses, and the community.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
45
860
512.5
2003
EERST received another award from Environment Bay of Plenty.
An Acknowledgement of Achievement was given, for a variety of environmental initiatives within schools and industries.
The trust was awarded Runner Up for Community Organisation of the Year by Zero Waste New Zealand Trust.
A school incinerator removal project was started in 2003 to prevent schools from burning waste.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
50
2,050
1,070
2004
A Tauranga school wrote a letter to the Prime Minister to show how fabric bags are a great alternative to plastic bags.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
75
3,500
1,758
2005
Within five years of starting the Paper4trees programme a total of over 5,000 trees have been gifted to participating schools. Close to 3,000 tonnes of paper had been recycled and saved from landfill.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
85
5,062
2,743
2006
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
140
6,692
3,891
2007
EERST co-founder Bruce Trask (MNZM) was awarded the Seriously Sustainable Award for his awesome contribution to environmental education from Tauranga Environment Centre.
A major funding grant from the Ministry for the Environment enabled EERST to expand from Tauranga City, Western Bay of Plenty, Whakatane, to Ruapehu, Manawatu, Rangitikei, Palmerston North, Tararua, Central Hawkes Bay and Horowhenua
A second grant from MFE backed the programme further, into 300 schools in Napier, Hastings, Wairoa, Gisborne, Whangarei, The Far North, Wellington and Kawerau.
A survey in our first newsletter resulted in a 92% positive response that the programme was a useful incentive to reduce the amount of waste in schools.
Is Paper4trees useful in your school?
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
477
8,533
4,854
2008
Paper4trees continued to spread throughout New Zealand and was now also in almost 1,000 schools. New areas included Northland, Taranaki, West Coast, Nelson and Tasman.
That year we also took part in the Carbon Zero Schools project for World Environment Day
Paper4trees went international in 2008 when our first school
in Canada became a member.
We also had some interest to establish the programme in Melbourne, Australia with an appointed a contact there to visit schools.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
979
12,409
7,221
2009
EERST expanded Paper4trees to the Coromandel,
Marlborough and
Otago Districts
EERST won a Silver Award from the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
1,420
22,395
11,649
2010
This year we were honoured to receive a Green Ribbon Award for community action for the environment.
Pictured below are Marty Hoffart, Hon Dr Nick Smith and Bruce Trask (MNZM)
By 2010 Paper4trees had completed its expansion into every region of New Zealand with the addition of Wairarapa, Canterbury and Southland
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
2,106
41,825
16,971
2011
At the 23rd annual WasteMINZ conference EERST was awarded Most Sustainable Trade Exhibit.
Two more awards were gained from The Packaging Council of New Zealand (inc). The Supreme Award
and the Cadbury Award for Community Education Programmes.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
3,335
64,699
24,024
2012
We received funding to develop Water4schools.
The programme encourages conservation and awareness about water use by working with schools to harvest rainwater.
EERST won the Most Sustainable Trade Exhibit at the WasteMINZ conference for the second year in a row.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
3,893
94,132
29,548
2013
Bruce Trask (MNZM) retired as Chairman of the trust and Marty Hoffart was appointed to the role.
That year we were a Sustainable Business Network Awards Finalist for the Community Impact Award.
We won the 2013 UnPackIt Awards through helping communities understand excess packaging waste.
This year we introduced a new classroom recycling bin from Fonterra. Their design uses 100% recycled milk bottles and is made in New Zealand.
In December Mount Maunganui Primary was the first school to receive these new bins.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
3,973
116,039
34,971
2014
EERST was back in the Green Ribbon Award spotlight, placing as a finalist in the Communication and Education category.
EERST was nominated for two Westpac Awards - placing as a finalist in the Community Organisation Award and a winner of the Sustainability Award.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
4,028
134,699
41,780
2015
In 2015 we started the Tauranga branch of Keep New Zealand Beautiful.
This means that the we were now able to engage and promote community clean up events in our local community.
Schools received new recycling bins from us as part of Keep New Zealand Beautiful's beverage container recovery scheme.
2016
We were recognised by Keep New Zealand Beautiful for participation in Arbor Week for planting thousands of trees.
EERST continued to expand Water4schools programme. Over 4,000 schools are participating in the Paper4trees programme.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
4,071
158,918
48,926
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
4,140
183,220
55,143
2017
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
4,223
204,976
61,310
The Paper4trees programme has now funded over 200,000 trees to participating schools! Over 61,000 tonnes of paper has been recycled and diverted from landfill.
2018
Paper4trees features on the cover of Tonic Magazine Issue 39.
Water4schools received funding from Bay Of Plenty Regional Council to provide five more schools
with water tanks.
Promoting Paper4trees at the annual WasteMINZ conference. The stand won best expo site.
Pictured: Marty Hoffart, Kim Edwards and Hope Lawsen
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
4,188
225,401
67,666
2019
EERST combined forces with Zero Waste Education and were promoting this partnership at conferences.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
4,198
270,993
74,582
2020
Even with some delays this year due to COVID-19 Paper4trees was still able to deliver the yearly trees to schools.
Schools Involved
Trees
Planted
Tonnes Recycled
4,179
270,993
in progress
Environmental Education for Resource Sustainability Trust celebrates TWENTY YEARS of bringing environmental education to New Zealand schools.