Playhouse Disney is marking the second year of its ‘Playing for the Planet’ green promotion, which tries to get pre-school children to become aware of green issues and how they could change their lives to help the planet. It has now launched the Playing for the Planet awards scheme to celebrate those young people, their families and nurseries who are making a difference.
The awards will have seven categories: Disney Eco Hero, The Big Idea, Greenest Family, Greenest Nursery, Planet Saver, Local Eco-Warrior and Greenest Star. Full details of these categories and prizes are below.
The campaign is backed by Tana Ramsey, the wife of chef Gordon and author of a cookbook and Professor Bill McGuire, an environmentalist.
Disney suggests the following tips for children to help make a positive impact on the planet:
Tip 1 – How preschoolers can help cut pollution:
Ask your parents to walk to nursery once a week instead of driving. Much more fun and better for the environment too! If all preschoolers walked to nursery just once a week instead of driving, we’d save 28,270 tonnes of carbon dioxide
Tip 2 – How preschoolers can help save electricity
Make sure that all your gadgets such as TVs, videos, DVD players and computers are not left on stand-by mode when not in use. If the 1.1 million preschoolers across the UK got involved to save energy by turning off gadgets, 41,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year could be saved
Tip 3 – How preschoolers can recycle!
Make sure you throw all your empty cans, bottles and plastic containers into the recycling bin and not the rubbish. Tell mummy and daddy to do this to! If all preschoolers pitch in to help increase recycling at home, and recycling increases by just 10 per cent, this would help to reduce carbon emissions by 108,900 tonnes
Tip 4 – How preschoolers can help save water
Fill your water bottles / glasses with water from the tap instead of using bottled water
If all preschoolers filled their water bottles from the tap, this would save 12,650 tonnes of carbon dioxide, plus saving more than one billion litres of water – or the equivalent of 1000 Olympic sized swimming pools!
Tip 5 – How preschoolers can spread the climate change message
Tell five friends today what you are doing to help the planet and how they can play for the planet too!
The full details of each award and its potential prize are:
Disney Eco Hero
Preschoolers are asked to design a Playhouse Disney character out of recycled materials. Perhaps Mickey becomes a recycling crusader, or Pluto saves the planet. What would Disney favourites look like gone green, what special powers might they have? Choose your favourite character from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, Handy Manny, Bunny Town and Little Einsteins.
Prize:
A fantastic ‘Jungle Gym’ outdoor activity centre for the garden including slides, swings and much more!
AND
A six-night holiday for a family of four at an eco-resort in the South of France.
Greenest Family
Families are invited to be in the running to become the Greenest Family in the UK by telling Playhouse Disney’s Playing for The Planet how they do their bit for the planet as a family! Families are invited to illustrate their support for the environment, outlining how they live green. Do they grow their own vegetables? Does their waste always go into the compost? Are the children actively involved in recycling? How are families reducing their carbon footprint? Photos or videos families in action are also welcomed as part of entries.
Prize:
A NICE Mega City 4-seat Electric Car. The MEGA City looks and drives like a normal car, but costs dramatically less with no Congestion Charge, free parking, no road tax, and no reason to visit the petrol station!
Playing for The Planet – The Big Idea
Children and families around the country will vie for the ultimate prize in the Playing for The Planet Awards, to create what the judges deem to be the ultimate Playing for The Planet idea; the idea that will really make an impact on preschoolers around the country. This could take the form of a game, a green initiative for home or nursery, a grand recycling plan – it’s a blank canvas, so be it big or small, the important part is that the winning idea really has the ability to make a big difference!
Prize:
A six-night holiday for a family of four at an eco-resort in the South of France.
AND
Bikes for a family of four. Each bike is also fitted with an eco-friendly wind-up bike light!
Greenest Nursery
Nurseries around the country will vie for the title of Greenest Nursery in the UK, showing off their Green credentials. Nursery’s submissions may be written or consist of photos and/or videos to show Playhouse Disney how the children are going green from a young age. Does the nursery use only eco-friendly products? Does the nursery recycle nappies? Does the nursery use solar panels? Who is the most inspiring green nursery nurse? How are the preschoolers encouraged to get involved?
Prize:
A stunning Playing for the Planet Awards commemorative plaque for the exterior wall
AND
A fantastic commercial-sized ‘Jungle Gym’ activity centre for the playground featuring climbing frame, slides and much more.
Planet Saver
This category will recognise the UK’s Greenest pre-schooler by encouraging entries detailing how children are going above and beyond in expressing their care for the environment. Do the children insist on organic snacks at the supermarket? Are the children sorting out the household recycling and taking out the compost? Do they play with creatively recycled toys? Send in photographs of the little ones hard at work, or have them draw a picture of their vision of a greener world.
Prize:
A Disney Princess 16” Deluxe Girls Bike, OR a Pirates of the Caribbean 14” Boys Bike, outfitted with an eco-friendly wind-up bike light!
AND
A wormery with education packs and worm certificate for a full kilogram of worms. Worm-assisted composting is an odourless, fully self-sustaining, natural waste-reducing process that can be carried out in the smallest of kitchens!
AND
Four tickets to the European premier of a Disney Original Movie with travel and accommodation for one night included.
Local Eco-Warrior
Families are asked to nominate that special person in their community who most deserves recognition for their Green effort. Is there someone locally who is a green crusader with a conscience; a tireless recycler encouraging green living? It could be a teacher, a green grocer, a church warden – anyone who sets a great Green example. In your own words explain why your Local Eco Warrior should be singled out for this very special prize!
Prize:
A large mixed organic fruit and vegetable box from Abel and Cole, delivered to their door every week for a year
AND
A brand new eco-wardrobe with £500 worth of vouchers to spend with an eco-clothing company.
Greenest Star
Families are asked to nominate the best Green role model from the celebrity world, stars that pound the pavement rather than mounting up miles in their 4×4!
Entries:
Closing date for entries is July 14, 2008. Entries welcome from children aged 3-7 years, nurseries and families. Entries should be submitted via the Playhouse Disney website.
June 29, 2008 at 2:28 pm |
Great article… and don’t forget the benefits that planting a tree will have on the environment. Each one will soak up 20kgs of CO2 every year and put enough Oxygen back in the atmosphere to support 2 people.