The year 5 St Joseph’s Primary School student decided recently to spread the importance of a healthy environment among her peers. 

The idea was simple. 

Each class had to collect as many recyclable bottles and cans as possible, with $350 raised as a result of the return and earn scheme. 

The money will now be used to implement a yet-to-be-determined environmental project at the school. 

“I love this Earth and I really want to make a difference because it’s the only one we’ve got,” Maria said. 

“All the money we raised will go back into our school, but most importantly we can start to save our Earth, one school at a time.

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“I know you might be thinking that we are only a small part of this big Earth, but my parents always tell me, even if you are small, you can still make a big difference.”

Maria has been actively researching the impacts humans are having on the environment and the result has blown her mind. 

“Did you know recycling just one soft drink can, saves just enough energy to run a TV for three hours?” she said.

“Or a 100W light bulb for almost an entire day? By recycling one plastic bottle it saves the power used by a computer for 25 minutes.

“And, would you believe, it can take up to one million years for glass to break down naturally? That shatters my mind.”