CommunityCologneBring Zero Waste into schools in CologneBring Zero Waste into schools in Cologne Zero Waste Köln works in schools and out-of-school settings so young people learn separation, avoidance, and circular thinking: not guilt, but practical habits. Current offers - Bildungskoffer (in development with Universität Köln): a lending kit on waste, avoidance, and sorting for primary schools. - Schulausstellung “Zero Waste Parcours”: travelling exhibition formats (see project pages for availability). - Public talks and VHS evenings listed on the calendar. For teachers and parents Reach Team Schule/Bildung via bildung@zerowastekoeln.de for visits, materials, and volunteering (pedagogy helpful, not required). Why it matters Young people who learn separation and avoidance early carry those habits into adulthood, multiplying impact across households.educationschoolscologne
VisitFood & GardenCologneWhere to compost in CologneWhere to compost in Cologne Garden trimmings and woody scraps have a home at the AVG recycling yards in Niehl and Heumar, where householders deliver compostable green waste in small loads. What you can do in Cologne - Bring Grünschnitt, trunk wood, and other compostable organics in small amounts to the AVG recycling yard Köln-Niehl - Use the second public yard at Wikingerstraße 100, 51107 Köln (Heumar) when Niehl is across town - Buy KöKo bagged garden compost at the yard when you need finished soil for beds (price listed on the organiser site) - Pair drop-off with the city brown-bin collection so kitchen waste and garden waste both stay in regional loops How to join The Niehl yard lists Geestemünder Straße 20, 50735 Köln. Opening hours and fees are on the AVG site; confirm before you load the car. Commercial green-waste accounts use separate forms on the same site. This row covers the public household pathway named on the recycling-yard page. Why it matters in Cologne Cologne's bio-waste feeds large composting and digestion plants that return KöKo compost to balconies and gardens. Dropping prunings locally beats burning them or stuffing them in the residual bin. Find more community projects in Cologne. Good to know - Where do I take food scraps if I do not have a garden? This page covers garden and woody waste at AVG yards. Kitchen bio-waste belongs in the municipal brown bin; the organiser does not list a separate citizen drop for plate scraps at Niehl. - Can I buy compost the same day I drop branches? The organiser sells KöKo compost products at Niehl and Heumar; check the yard page for product names and sack prices. - Is there a composting service I can book? AVG focuses on yard delivery and commercial accounts. This entry describes the public recycling-yard path, not a paid curbside subscription.compostgreen-wastecircular +1
VisitCommunityCologneRefill your bottle free at Refill Köln stationsRefill your bottle free at Refill Köln stations Refill Köln is a Zero Waste Köln project turning willing shops, cafés, cultural venues, and restaurants across Cologne into free drinking-water stops for anyone with an empty bottle. What you can do - Look for the round blue "Refill Station" sticker in a window, then ask to fill your bottle with tap water: free in shops, restaurants may add a small service charge - Respect that every station joins voluntarily and unpaid, so a full till, a grubby bottle, or a big canister can mean a polite no - Ask your favourite café, shop, or workplace to become a station by emailing refill@zerowastekoeln.de: all it needs is regular opening hours and a way to fill bottles How it works Refill Köln plugs into the nationwide Refill Deutschland network under the Zero Waste Germany umbrella, so the blue sticker means the same thing wherever you spot it across the country. Why it matters Cologne's tap water is closely tested and costs well under a cent a litre, yet plastic bottles still pile up citywide. Choosing a refill over a new bottle is a small swap that could spare Germany billions of plastic bottles a year if the habit catches on.refillwaterplastic-free +1
