For the 4th time, the Lavera Thomas Haase Foundation and Das macht Schule have invited schools in Hanover to the environmental education project E-Waste-Race. In this electronic waste collection campaign, IGS List took first place with a new record of 2,967 points and wins a school trip to the Universum in Bremen, which, like the project, is funded by the Lavera Thomas Haase Foundation.

The electronic waste collection campaign in Hanover was once again a complete success thanks to the participation of everyone involved! The high willingness to participate among Hanover residents and regional media confirms the pioneering role that Hanover now plays in the E-Waste Race. The demand per race is so great each time that many school applications cannot be considered. Therefore, since 2023, the Lavera Thomas Haase Foundation, in cooperation with Das macht Schule, has been conducting two electronic waste collection campaigns per year: 10 schools each compete against each other, collecting as many electronic parts as possible from private households free of charge and expanding the curriculum with sustainable topics such as recycling and circular economy.

The students of class 5b at IGS List were true environmental ambassadors over the past 4 weeks and, through self-initiated media work such as posters or reports on passenger TV and Radio Hanover, were able to mobilize an entire district and inspire proper recycling. A total of 4,137 electronic parts were collected – that’s 10 containers in total – and with this, IGS List wins the 4th E-Waste Race by a wide margin ahead of the second-placed school. Recycling of used electronic parts has now reached a critical importance: in Germany, 1.7 million tons of electronic waste are generated annually, of which less than half are properly disposed of. It is all the more important to reach private households and provide impulses for their own consumption behavior.

The project involved Gerhard Hauptmann Realschule, IGS List, IGS Linden, IGS Kronsberg, IGS Vahrenheide/Sahlkamp, Gymnasium Bismarckschule Hannover, Leonore Goldschmidt Schule IGS, Hannover-Mühlenberg, and Grundschule am Welfenplatz. The starting signal for the 4th E-Waste Race was given four weeks ago with the support of Mayor Belit Onay, the Lavera Thomas Haase Foundation, Das macht Schule, and the waste disposal company ELPRO Elektro-Recycling GmbH – for greater awareness and another important step towards a functioning circular economy.

"I thank and congratulate everyone who participated in this project. Not only do the students themselves learn how important it is to manage resources responsibly. With their great commitment, they also play a key role as multipliers in raising awareness about the circular economy among many others from whom they collect electronic waste. This exemplary action is important for our future."

"Since the kickoff of the E-Waste Race in Lower Saxony, a total of 39 schools in Hanover and the surrounding region have participated in the electronic waste collection campaign, collecting an incredible 55,882 items from private households thanks to the many dedicated students. Topics such as rethinking personal consumption behavior, preserving valuable raw materials, and proper recycling were simultaneously integrated into the curriculum. We are delighted with the more than impressive success of the 4th E-Waste Race and the new points record set by the winning school IGS List with 4,137 collected items and a phenomenal 2,967 points. Congratulations and have fun at the Universum in Bremen."

"I am very pleased with how the students committed themselves to environmental protection as part of this extraordinary competition, and I congratulate IGS List on their well-deserved victory!"

"I am incredibly proud of the students at IGS List. Not only were the children able to learn a lot about topics like environmental protection, recycling, and reuse, but they also exceeded themselves in the project. Everyone pitched in – even the parents! We had a common goal and turned the neighborhood and school community upside down – even the press was there! My class was so motivated by participating in this competition that they organized themselves into teams to collect scrap and made videos. Some students even stayed at school longer! The victory was hard-fought, and my class more than deserved it."

The lavera Thomas Haase Foundation was established in 2020 by Thomas Haase, owner of the natural cosmetics manufacturer Laverana and inventor of the natural cosmetics brand lavera. It serves both charitable purposes for our society and social projects. The overarching goal of the foundation is to preserve and sustainably develop the company and the brand in order to secure jobs. The foundation is financed from the distributed profits of the company. A focus of the foundation is the promotion of continuing education projects, including environmental education, in cooperation with non-profit organizations.

Das macht Schule helps prepare students for future life with practical projects, promoting participation, values, and skills. The students learn to solve problems to be able to handle the global challenges of the future. Additionally, the initiative provides used hardware from companies to schools free of charge. "Das macht Schule" has been online since 2007, nationwide in Germany, non-profit, founder-led, and is funded by foundations and donations. More about it here.