Back to school, forward with waste reduction

Waste Reduction Week in Canada is held in the third week of October. Schools have a vital role to play in moving us toward a waste-free society. They help shape the minds of the next generation and are, themselves, generators of waste.

We couldn’t find any ‘official’ figures of the amount of waste that schools generate (if you know of any Canadian data out there, please let us know), but the UK estimates that the average secondary school (Gr.7-12) produces 22 kg of waste per pupil each academic year, and primary schools (Gr. K-6) produce more, at 45 kg/pupil/year. One Saskatoon elementary school examined the amount of waste produced and calculated that in its twenty-year life, enough garbage had been generated to fill the school completely!

What’s in school waste? While every school will have slightly different proportions, the main contributors are paper/cardboard and food waste, with plastic being significant as well. (Many years ago, the SWRC checked out the contents of a school dumpster and we were amazed by the number of pens and pencils in there as well).

If your school doesn’t have a recycling program, check into what is available in your community. (One way to find out is to visit saskwastereduction.ca/dbase.php.) Figure out what materials are accepted and how they need to be sorted and handled. Many schools have green teams that take on recycling.

While recycling is good, reducing and reusing are better. Make sure your photocopier is set to print on both sides by default. Use the back sides of paper for scrap or to take notes. There are more opportunities now in schools for electronically-based activities that require no paper at all. Organize waste-free lunches to reduce packaging.

Finally, don’t forget about making sure you close the loop with your recycling purchases. Does your school use post-consumer recycled paper? Do you encourage parents to buy recycled-content or reusable products for their children’s supplies? Are your cleaning supplies non-toxic?

Schools can create ripple effects throughout the community by modeling effective waste reduction. Let’s not forget to promote our activities. Spread the word, let everyone know what you’ve accomplished and get others inspired too!

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