The Goetheschule KGS Barsinghausen won the first E-Waste Race in the Schaumburg and Hannover regions, which was launched in 2022 by the Lavera Thomas Haase Foundation and Das macht Schule in Lower Saxony. With 2,897 collected electronic waste items, the school narrowly beat the Immanuel Comprehensive School in Bückeburg. The prize: a trip to the Universum in Bremen, presented by Sabine Kästner from the Lavera Thomas Haase Foundation. The second and third place schools receive grants for their class funds.

The fifth competition of the environmental project E-Waste Race demonstrates how much can be achieved together. In four weeks, 261 students collected a total of 15,172 pieces of electronic waste.

Alexander Fürst zu Schaumburg Lippe, patron of the Schaumburg-Lippe region, emphasizes the importance of the project: "E-Waste, electronic waste – this is an environmental and disposal problem that most people in industrialized countries face daily. Since electronic devices nowadays are usually not repaired but replaced, we are dealing with a huge challenge in disposal and especially recycling. Thanks to the 'Lavera Thomas Haase Foundation' and the non-profit organization 'Das macht Schule,' the E-Waste Race has brought an environmental project to the Schaumburg region that not only raises awareness of the issue in an exemplary way but also playfully guides students in tackling it. Here, environmental protection is not just preached but also practiced."

Sabine Kästner, Press and Sustainability, Lavera Thomas Haase Foundation: "The participation was fantastic! And our results speak for themselves. In 2024, over 30,300 pieces were collected, and since 2022, even more than 71,000, all documented and properly disposed of. What pleases us especially: the students now carefully check whether it is really electronic waste or if the device can still be used. Valuable raw materials like gold or copper are not lost or ending up in landfills. We thank everyone involved, especially our prominent patrons and the regional media for their support, congratulate all students on the outstanding overall result, and of course, the Goetheschule KGS Barsinghausen on their well-deserved victory."Steffen Krach, President of the Hannover Region, adds: "Congratulations to the Goetheschule KGS Barsinghausen. Above all, I hope that the event was fun for everyone involved and that they take away a lot from this experience, which complements lessons in a very practical way, especially regarding their own handling of electronic waste."

• According to the Global E-Waste Monitor 2024, only 14 out of 62 million tons of electronic waste were properly disposed of in 2022. In Europe, the recycling rate is nearly 43%.

• In Germany, each citizen produces about 20 kg of electronic waste annually, with a collection rate of only 32%.

The electronics market is steadily growing, but many devices are difficult to repair. Especially the disposal of small appliances remains inadequate. This is where the school project comes in, by preserving valuable resources and collecting electronic waste from households.

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. One focus of the foundation is the promotion of continuing education projects, including environmental education, in cooperation with nonprofit organizations. lavera, the foundation's own natural cosmetics brand, is one of the most successful natural cosmetics brands in Germany. lavera is committed not only to animal welfare but also to various national and international climate protection and development projects.

“Das macht Schule helps prepare students for future life with practical projects, promoting participation, values, and skills. 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, nonprofit, founder-led, and funded by foundations and donations. More: www.das-macht-schule.net/ueber-uns. The E-Waste Race was launched in 2014 in the Netherlands by Timmy de Vos, has won multiple awards, and has already taken place at over 1,500 schools. An evaluation confirms its positive impact on behavior."

Explanation of the scoring system:
Points are awarded for each collected item: 10 points for cables & co., 30 points for telephones & mobile phones, 40 points for monitors & computers & printers, and 20 points for everything else. To ensure a fair competition, the total points are divided by the number of participants. This average score determines the ranking. Schools can also earn bonus points. These are awarded, for example, for press reports, self-made materials, videos, podcasts, etc.