Students from Twin Rivers Elementary took a trip ‘away’ from their school on Wednesday and into the world of trash this week- learning about the future of most bought things in the process.
The students have taken Wildsight’s Beyond Recycling program since October, learning about ecological footprints, greenhouse gas emissions reduction and more. Now it’s time for the annual visit to where things that are thrown ‘away’ end up- the local landfill and recycling centres.
“The students got to see first hand where all of their waste and recycling ends up in their community. It makes them think about their own habits regarding consumption of material goods, reducing, reusing, and of course recycling. It’s a perfect learning experience to visit both the landfill and recycling center. These students will most likely think twice about throwing something away after this field trip,” said Jessica Thomson, the Beyond Recycling educator at Twin Rivers.
Students toured the Ootischenia Landfill, where Lauren Rethoret Ward, Environmental Services Coordinator for the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK), showed them around. They also toured the Materials Recovery Facility (recycling centre) in Brilliant.
At the beginning of the program, students were visited by an expert ‘garbologist’ (their Beyond Recycling educator in costume) who ‘analyzed’ the contents of the classroom garbage can and worked out what waste could have been diverted fromm the landfill.
“These students have learned so much on how to reduce their waste over the last seven months of this program. This trip really shows them why it’s so important to continue those actions,” Thomson said.
Beyond Recycling is a Wildsight program; it is offered in the Central Kootenay Region in partnership with the Regional District of Central Kootenay, as well as with support from Fortis BC, Columbia Basin Trust, TD Friends of the Environment Fund, BC Hydro, and Waste Management Inc. Additional support has come from teachers, administrators and parents from schools throughout the region.
Beyond Recycling works to inspire and empower youth to take leadership in making positive environmental and behavioral change. The program is delivered by trained educators who visit the classroom once a week, and use slideshows, costumes, movies and games to make learning about these serious issues fun.
Students are challenged to look critically at the impact of their schools, homes and lifestyles—to look ‘beyond’ recycling.