Beyond Recycling focuses a lot of waste: what is waste, where does it come from, how has it changed over time, and how we can change our current waste habits. But that’s not all we talk about – it’s called BEYOND Recycling, after all – and going beyond often means finding new ways to do common things.
This year as Earth Day approaches, Mrs. Archibald’s class went BEYOND talking about waste, and took action to reduce their impact on the planet. The action project of choice was a favourite among Beyond Recycling classes: turning old t-shirts into reusable bags.
Yes, we reduced waste by reducing the need for single-use plastic bags. Yes, we reused old thrift store shirts that might otherwise end up in the landfill. And yes, we recycled, by breaking down shirts into smaller pieces before constructing something new. But just as importantly, we got out of our chairs, away from our books and used our hands to sew connections to the learning.
The grade 5’s started with t-shirts and rags and ended up rich with experience and ideas to further reduce their waste. What a memorable day!
