Cartoon Network has responded to increasing concern over the amount of pollution generated from electrical products globally by partnering with Envision Racing to launch a cross-platform, EMEA-wide campaign tackling the issue of electronic waste.
According to the United Nations, electronic waste (e-waste) has become the world’s fastest growing domestic waste stream, with pollution expected to reach 82 million tonnes globally per year by 2030.
So severe are the numbers that the World Health Organisation has called e-waste – waste generated from items such as discarded mobile phones, laptops, MP3 players, plugs, and batteries – the ‘next growing threat to the environment.’
As digital and tech natives, Cartoon Network’s audience of young people are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of e-waste. With electronics playing a fundamental role in the lives of children today, there is a growing acceptance of the need to address this impactful waste stream.
For instance, 7.3 billion e-toys (car racing sets, electronic trains, music toys, talking dolls, drones, and more) are now discarded each year – an average of one per person on the planet.
However, despite the scale of the problem, a recent survey undertaken by Cartoon Network in partnership with EMEA Kids Insights, revealed that a staggering 70% of children aged 6-11 across the EMEA region, had not heard of e-waste or were aware but not sure what it means.
This same study found that the majority of kids aged 6 to 11 claim to have heard of e-waste but in reality only around 30% know what it means. In terms of awareness, children in the UK and France are trailing. Around 47% of children in Poland are familiar with the term e-waste, compared to the 37% in Turkey and 28% in South Africa.
The study also revealed that there is a real gap in education around e-waste that needs plugging. The majority (87%) of children have at least one e-waste item at home – with toys, headphones, and tablets being in the top three most common items – many of whom say they ‘store e-waste items’ at home or throw them away, rather than finding a better, more sustainable end of life solution for them.
In response to this data, Cartoon Network is combining its efforts with the reach and expertise of Envision Racing to highlight the issue of e-waste through new, fun, relatable, and inspiring content designed to encourage action via e-waste themed Climate Champions challenges, informative videos, quizzes, and trivia.
Cartoon Network Climate Champions’ new e-waste video content will air on the Cartoon Network channel and includes a “Guide to E-waste” video that explains what e-waste is, why it’s an important issue and the basics of how we can help tackle it. Cartoon Network will also air e-waste promos, explaining issues around e-waste with a call to action on how kids can get involved in tackling it, and share weekly uploads to its social channels to broaden reach and drive key messages home.
In addition, children can find new, informative e-waste content in the Cartoon Network Climate Champions app as well as on the website. This includes new e-waste challenges, new facts and trivia about e-waste, new quizzes, new voting cards, and new videos featuring kids talking about the issue.
Warner Bros Discovery, VP Brand, Comms and Digital Content Strategy, Monika Oomen, said: “E-waste is highly relevant to children, yet our research indicates a notable gap between their intentions and actions, primarily due to a lack of knowledge on proper disposal methods. It is encouraging to witness the agency among kids, and our goal is to help translate their intentions into meaningful actions.”
Cartoon Network’s Climate Champions initiative empowers and inspires young people to act and help the environment. Kids aged 6-12 can become Climate Champions by taking on daily challenges and making a significant difference together. The collaboration with the world champion racing team, Envision Racing, underscores Cartoon Network’s commitment to educating young minds.
Cartoon Network further expands the Climate Champions initiative by integrating it into Cartoon Network Game On! Through gamification on Roblox, tackling e-waste challenges is made available in the Metaverse. As previously announced, Cartoon Network and Envision Racing launched a Climate E-Racers mini-game, allowing players to race each other in vehicles customised with e-waste collected in the game, while completing Climate Champions challenges along the way. Incorporating the e-waste Climate Challenges ensures that this crucial message reaches children during their playtime. Launched in May, Climate E-Racers has amassed 1 million visits.
As part of Envision Racing’s Race Against Climate Change programme, the team has long aimed to energise fans to help save the planet, with the growing problem of e-waste a recent focus. In 2023 the team unveiled the world’s first, fully driveable race car made entirely out of e-waste to highlight the growing worldwide problem.
