Instead of old plastic bags and PVC skins from billboards ending up in the environment, one inspirational organisation in Africa is transforming this plastic waste into durable, high-tech school bags for underprivileged kids.

The Rethaka Foundation is making ‘Repurpose’ bags that have a small solar panel to capture sunlight throughout the day. This powers an inbuilt desk lamp, illuminating the child’s homework at night.

So far, this recycling initiative has distributed over 10,000 Repurpose Schoolbags in six countries on the African continent. We reckon that deserves an A+ grade.

To find out more about what they’re doing, or to donate to their worthy cause, visit: www.rethakafoundation.org.

Are you passionate about doing your bit to tidy up our beaches and waterways? Do you work with a group of people who might want to help out as well? Then the team at Sustainable Coastlines have some great workshops to help you get started.

Sustainable Coastlines is a registered charity who help organise large-scale community and corporate clean ups of New Zealand’s beaches and waterways. They work with caring companies, small and large, to coordinate team-building events where you and your colleagues can get stuck in and run your own clean up.

Workplace clean up events are a great way to bring the team together, identify potential leaders and educate staff in a fun way that helps our environment. Having worked with caring Kiwi companies like Air New Zealand, Meridian and Samsung to organise clean ups in the past, the good folks at Sustainable Coastlines have a range of different options to help you put together an event for your workplace.

The experienced team offer presentations to staff to help them understand the work they’ll be doing and how to be safe during a clean up. To get your workmates involved and to find out more, visit: http://sustainablecoastlines.org/services/team-building-events/

The pop art king of Kiwiana, artist and legend Dick Frizzell is saying “Bags Not” to single-use plastic bags.

“New Zealand landscapes would look a whole lot better without these things in them!”.

As one of New Zealand’s most iconic artists, he knows a thing or two about making this country look its best.

“Come on you lot, let’s say “Bag’s Not” to single-use plastic bags!”

Sounds like a prettier picture to us Dick.

Riley Elliott, aka the Shark Man, is not afraid of much. But there is one thing that scares him: single-use plastic bags.

“You think sharks are dangerous? Well, they’re not really, not compared to these critters.”

The last thing he wants is our environment and oceans getting trashed by plastic waste.

“So come on Kiwis, let’s say “Bags Not” to single-use plastic bags.”

Sounds good to us Riley… but is it safe to go in the water?