To mark the start of elementary school, first-graders in Kevelaer and the surrounding towns will once again receive their own water bottles this year: Stadtwerke Kevelaer and NiersEnergie are distributing a total of 260 reusable bottles to first-graders at all elementary schools in Kevelaer. The initiative has been running since 2016. To date, the two local water and electricity providers have distributed more than 3,000 water bottles to first-graders in Kevelaer.
With these water bottles, the two companies aim to achieve two goals at once: to remind children to drink regularly during the school day and, at the same time, to raise their awareness early on about avoiding single-use packaging. The bottles are made of durable Tritan, are free of plasticizers, have no taste, and are dishwasher-safe. Their wide opening makes them easy to fill and clean.
Focus on Drinking and the Environment
“Especially at the start of the school year, there are so many new things for children to discover and learn. So it’s great when their water bottle quickly becomes an essential companion throughout the school day,” says Wolfgang Toonen, operations manager at Stadtwerke Kevelaer and managing director of NiersEnergie. “Filled with tap water, it’s also an easy way to reduce packaging waste.”
This year, the photo shoot for the campaign took place at St. Franziskus Elementary School in Twisteden. Principal Tanja Kocken is also delighted with the gift for the new first-graders: “The children can use their own water bottles every day—in class, during breaks, and during PE. At the same time, they naturally learn that drinking regularly is part of their daily school routine.”
At many schools in Kevelaer, children can also refill their water bottles at drinking water dispensers. These were funded by Stadtwerke and NiersEnergie, in some cases in cooperation with Sparkasse Rhein-Maas.