Posts tagged: coffee

Pet food manufacturer, Royal Canin South Africa, has launched an innovative recycling initiative at Cornubia Mall in Durban.

The initiative makes use of a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) which consumers can deposit recyclable materials and in exchange, the company will donate pet food to animal shelter beneficiaries across South Africa.

The initiative is in collaboration with Imagined Earth, the manufacturer of the Reverse Vending Machines. The machines accept glass, plastic, metals and tetra-pak for recycling with consumers getting a choice of loyalty vouchers to use at selected partner outlets, airtime and data, in addition to the food donations.

I caught up with Caitlin Bowden, Digital Marketing Manager and Michelle Peruch, Business Development Officer at Royal Canin South Africa, to tell me more about the initiative.

“Royal Canin South Africa has collaborated with shopping centre’s in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town to launch three Royal Canin branded RVM’s. Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Western Cape are live, with RVM’s located at Kyalami Corner, Cornubia Mall and Willowbridge Shopping Centre, respectively.” Bowden said.

The initiative has seen over 3000 items recycled with over 3000 kgs of pet food being donated to animal shelters in need.

According to the company website, the RVM’s accept most glass, plastic and tin bottles and containers, including all grocery items. There are some size restrictions on what can be recycled with the RVM not being able to process plastic packets currently.

Royal Canin’s parent company, MARS, places environmental sustainability at the forefront of its business model.

According to its website, MARS has “set healthy planet ambitions linked to Climate Action, Water Stewardship and Land Use to reduce our environmental impacts in line with what science says is necessary to keep the planet healthy tomorrow.”

On why Cornubia Mall was chosen as a location for the Durban RVM, Bowden said that “at Royal Canin, our purpose is to make a better world for pets. When considering potential partners, we focus on the impact on the well-being of pets and the planet. Additionally, we want to ensure that our RVM’s are accessible.

“Cornubia seemed like a great fit, it is a lovely modern mall with great footfall and is accessible to a broad audience. The Cornubia Mall team was highly receptive to the campaign concept and because it aligned so well with their own environmental commitments, offered us a rent-free spot in the mall for four weeks.”

“We’d love to encourage all South Africans to recycle what they can. Not only is it our shared responsibility to promote a greener, healthier planet for all, but in this case, it is great for needy pets too as Royal Canin SA will donate 1kg for each item recycled at our branded RVM’s, up to 10 000kg” concluded Bowden.

Shelters that will benefit from the Royal Canin SA food donations are the Kitty and Puppy Haven and FORA SA in Johannesburg, Fallen Angels and Langebaan Animal Care in Cape Town and the Pietermaritzburg Animal Rescue in KwaZulu-Natal.

A brand new lower school library stocked with books by some of the world’s best authors and a unique book vending machine have been unveiled at Louth Academy, UK.

More than 50 parents joined students and staff during the Academy’s Literacy Week to hear their views on ways to encourage their children to read more.

Philip Dickinson, Principal at the Academy, said: “Research has shown that children’s ability to read has a huge impact on their capacity to access the curriculum whilst at school. We actively engage with local primary schools to aid the transition into secondary school reading and encourage that engagement journey. As part of this commitment, Louth Academy is launching a new Literacy initiative to encourage reading for pleasure.”

During a coffee afternoon at the school, Michelle Hammond and Catherine Brett (joint Heads of the English Department) told parents that they want to encourage reading in every way possible and are very supportive of ideas to promote literacy within the local community.

“The whole purpose of Literacy Week is to promote the importance of reading and its impact on learning as a whole,” said Mrs Brett. “It is fantastic to be able to invite parents into the Academy at last and talk to them face-to-face about strategies for improving reading and ask for their views on ways we can help with reading in the community.

“Literacy Week has been amazing for the students. We have incorporated ‘drop everything and read week,’ which means that every student in Years 7-10 has to stop what they are doing and read for 10 minutes each time the bell goes off in lessons. All students have had to carry a book with them at all times as part of their uniform. Staff have been doing the same.”

Michelle Hammond said: “In addition to the Lower School Library we have purchased a whole range of new books for the Upper Site. The Scholastic Book Fair has also been taking place in the Library and students are able to identify books they wish to purchase from that. The new Library is proving so popular that we have had to restock the books twice to keep up with demand for taking them out. The Library is open every lunchtime for reading.”

The Academy has also purchased Reading Plus software for selected students to increase reading levels and fluency. Form reading sessions are also delivered twice weekly for students in Years 7-10.

Two lucky students were the first recipients of free books from the Academy’s brand new Book Vending Machine. The students earn Star Student awards throughout the term for excellence in school, and the top students are rewarded with a token which they can choose to use on a number of rewards, including a free book.

Year 7 and 8 students, Nancy Baker, 12, and Nicole Bigley, 13, were thrilled with their wins. “It is really good to be able to choose a book for free. I really like reading,” said Nicole.

Visiting parents Paul and Claire Madden, whose daughter Isobella, 11, is in Year 7 at Louth Academy, said they were very happy to support the literacy initiative.

Claire said: “I think it is a brilliant idea. When your children are at primary school they cannot wait to show you the books they are reading and read with you. At secondary school that tails off and it is harder to find something that interests them. We try to explore what Isobella is interested in and to find something to read that she might enjoy.”

Paul added: “Isobella plays football for the Under-12 girls’ team at Louth Old Boys and is a Man Utd fan so we have our eye on the Marcus Rashford book in the library here, which we think she might like.”

Claire added: “Reading runs through every part of learning and it is so important to encourage it. Unfortunately young people are not so interested in going to community libraries now, but this new library in school is very attractive and we are really pleased to support the school’s drive for improvement in literacy.”

Self-published author Alan Mitchell and his daughter Laura, 12, moved from Essex to Louth specifically so that Laura could attend the hugely successful Academy.

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (FOX 9) – An online car dealer is looking to create a “car vending machine” in Brooklyn Center, city council documents show.

Carvana is planning to purchase property at 1601 James Circle for the vending machine.

The vending machine would allow users to make purchases online, set an appointment, get a coin to get a vehicle, and take home a new vehicle.

Carvana has 31 car vending machines across the United States, with most operating along the eastern seaboard and the southeast U.S. The closest locations to Minnesota are in Chicago and Kansas City.

The project is currently under review by the Brooklyn Center City Council. The proposal was discussed during a work-study session earlier this month.