In becoming a teacher, I realize the amount of supplies that go into daily activities, lessons, and exercises. These are the tools that provide students with dynamic and hands-on learning experiences! In researching zero-waste lifestyle tips, I wondered if these were two roads that could merge together. Although somewhat skeptical, I was eager to find what was out there!

Right away I found a Buzzfeed article and thought “score!”. A popular name posting about exactly what I was hoping to find, which means this is a topic people don’t only have access to, but are also interested in!

The first tip already had my attention – slip plastic (yes, plastic) covers over top of paper and have students use dry eraser markers. This added element could increase engagement and of course saves paper!

Second to blow my mind, was the idea of making watercolour paints out of old dried up markers (which you can then recycle with the Crayola recycling program!). To do so you just need to group together same or like colours with an elastic band (about 5 or so) and then let them sit (tip in) in a glass paint pot with water! And voila, water colour paints.

I think this is a fantastic way to get children involved in the process and preparation, as well as getting them thinking about environmental impacts and how they can better make use of their supplies!

https://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/zero-waste-classroom

Next I found the Zero Waste Classroom and discovered their 5 incredible tips in getting started:

1. Sub out wipes for wash cloths!
2. Have a classroom compost
3. Stop laminating everything! Yes this can make things last longer, but also uses a lot of disposable plastic in the process. Try using reusable plastic covers!
4. Build your collection of plates, bowls, and cutlery. In having these things on hand, you eliminate any waste that might come with eating! This includes classroom parties etc.
5. Recycle what you can. This may come as no surprise, but by being mindful and discussing recycling with your class, you’re bound to find new ways and keep up with old ones!

https://zerowasteclassroom.org/

As humans, we rely on the hundreds products that keep us clean, clothed, fed, housed, hydrated, and “normal”. Various contributors such as marketing, media, social media, social relationships, schools, and public relations, make us believe that we need these things to get by. Now although I do enjoy keeping a clean house, cooking, and looking presentable, the tools and/or products we use to do these things are most often disposable.

Disposable and single-use products have made a massive impact on our planet. They are easy to find, easy to use,  and are most often cheaper than eco-friendly alternatives – thus making them much more convenient and attractive to the buyer. When I dug a little further I realized that there are so many ways we can replace these things in our daily lives that we have grown attached to – such as paper towel – and find ways to decrease their use.

I must add that I am not completely anti-single-use products and I can appreciate that they have a purpose in health care and emergency situations etc. We must keep our  world safe AND clean. So there is a time and place for these items. Getting them out of your everyday routine – if unnecessary – is a great place to start.

Since blogging on the regular, I have come to appreciate other fellow bloggers more! Sure enough, I ended up coming across a blog thats title read “15 Tips For When You’re Trying To Be Less Of A Trash Human”. I was intrigued.

This blog focuses on how to reduce your waste or “trash” and has many creative ways to do so! Some of my favourites consisted of:

• Making a reusable paper towel rolls
• BYOB (bottle!)
• Reusable straw and cutlery set
• DIY reusable sandwich bags
• DIY cleaning solutions made with baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils!

All of these alternatives create much less waste for the planet and are healthier as well! A win-win!

https://diply.com/6872/15-tips-for-when-youre-trying-to-be-less-of-a-trash-human/amp

Zero-waste practices are something that I have been extremely interested in for the past year. With all of the media around us 24/7, it is hard to ignore the damage we are doing as humans by just living our everyday lives. Personally, I eat fairly healthy, love to get out doors with my dog, and genuinely care for the environment – then I began thinking, what kind of a negative impact am I making on the planet? From there, I realized that although I was making healthy choices, I wasn’t doing my best to get my eco footprint down, and my sustainability practices up.

When discussing environmental topics, it is important not to:

• Come off so extreme that you offend others
• Obsess over every small detail that you can’t control
• Judge others by their life choices

Instead, try approaching zero-waste with a mind-set that allows for:

• positive conversation with others to spread helpful information, tips, tricks, and resources
• Do your best! Any change is a change, big or small, and can contribute to the global movement that is desired. Zero-waste is a bit of an unrealistic mantra… just do what you can!
• Keep to yourself (for the most part). By spreading positivity and light on your own healthier life choices, it is inevitable that others will take note. Focus on remaining positive and gaining info/resources to share with others when they ask!

A few resources I found extremely helpful beginning my free inquiry journey are as follows:

• Local zero-waste/less-waste shops: 
• Zero-Waste Emporium, Bulk barn, bulk sections in grocery stores, and West Coast Refill are all great places to start for your everyday waste-free needs
• https://www.zerowasteemporium.com/
• https://www.westcoastrefill.com/
• Social media influencers/personalities that create zero-waste lifestyle posts:
• Kaitlyn Dickie (@kaitlyndickie on Instagram) is an amazing zero-waste advocate I follow for inspiration, tips, and information. She is extremely kind to others and to the planet, and is based out of Kelowna which connects to my BC roots
• Companies that allow for teachers to make a less wasteful impact in the classroom!
• One of the most interesting things I have came across so far was the efforts that Crayola (the most well known art suppliers I can think of) make towards recycling their old markers/products. This was an incredible first finding when looking into sustainability into the classroom and it gives me lots of hope for further research!
• http://www.crayola.ca/about-us/green-initiatives/crayola-colorcycle.aspx

All in all I found this starting point to be quite rewarding. I plan to go to Zero-Waste Emporium in the next few weeks to note how the business works, and any pros and cons I can see from a consumer (who is interested in Zero-waste) perspective.

One of our main assignments in EdTech is to create a free inquiry topic to explore, research, and create content about. I found the autonomy and freedom of this project surprising and so exciting! I have a huge interest in finding new ways to reduce the waste I accumulate in my everyday life and knew right away this is what I wanted to do my project on. In today’s media there is a very mixed opinion on climate change and sustainability, much of which can get a bit depressing if you read too deep. In my eyes, I want to create a lifestyle that is driven towards sustainable change wherever possible and kind to the earth at the same time. Since this topic can get fairly overwhelming, I am really looking forward to researching new zero-waste ideas and tips that I will be able to share with others in a way that everyone can understand and take part. Lastly, I cannot wait to look into zero-waste and sustainable classroom ideas! This is something that I have always wanted to incorporate into my future classrooms but have not yet put much time in to research further. Throughout this free inquiry project I am positive I will find a lot of useful information to share with colleagues, students, family, and friends, so that everyone feels like they have accessible resources to begin to make eco-friendly changes!