Explore the 5 R’s of zero waste with Alloprof

The first step in reducing waste is to rethink our culture of consumption. This is best summed up in the phrase “the best waste is no waste.” In other words, we need to do the following:

• Refuse things we do not need
• Refuse single-use items
• Refuse items that cannot be recycled or repurposed

With your students, you can hold discussions and brainstorming sessions (elementary level) about situations where they can say no to items they do not need.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Discuss ways to cut down on waste when giving and receiving Christmas or birthday gifts: refuse brand-new gifts, organize zero-waste holiday gift exchanges, forgo using gift wrap, use recycled materials for decorations, craft homemade keepsakes for guests instead of buying party favours at the dollar store, etc.
• Have your students reflect on items they ask their parents for on impulse. Many are made of “forever” materials and end up collecting dust after a few months. Students can discuss strategies for curbing impulsive consumer behaviour. For example, they can work on resisting peer pressure or borrow items instead of buying them (many libraries now loan items such as tablets, video games, outdoor equipment, and musical instruments).
• Discuss refusing to buy or accept school items that are single-use or unrepairable. Instead, students can opt for pens made with eco-friendly materials and refillable ink, and they can reuse supplies that are still in good condition. Coloured pencils are a great idea because they contain no plastic and generate almost no waste. Some brands make pencils from wood that can be planted (they contain seeds), and others make pencils from recycled paper.
• Discuss consumer choices related to clothing and shoes. When is a good time to refuse to buy new? What do your students think about shopping at thrift stores and garage sales? Have they ever tried organizing clothing swaps with friends and family members? Students in Secondary IV can go a step further by reading our concept sheet on the trade system used by Indigenous peoples (available in French only), for whom the accumulation of wealth holds no importance.
• Draw parallels between capitalism and our consumer lifestyles (Secondary III and IV).
• Etc.

The first of the 5 R’s, refuse, is impossible to uphold at all times, since there are certain items we have to buy. However, we can reduce our consumption by buying only what we need, avoiding waste, and buying products in bulk or with minimal packaging. Here are a few ideas to explore with your students:

• For high school students, try organizing a workshop to discuss consumerism. For elementary students, you can do a fun and simple activity to get them thinking about the difference between needs and wants: ask them whether they need various items and have them answer “yes,” “no,” or “it depends” (make sure they justify their response). For example, do they need a winter coat? Is getting brand X a need or a want? Is having two or three coats a need or want?
• Discuss overconsumption. Overconsumption means consuming more than is necessary to meet your everyday needs, which contributes to environmental problems. Our Secondary V concept sheet on this topic (available in French only) contains enough content for several classes, as it covers multiple aspects related to climate change, waste management, GHGs, and more. Afterward, you can ask your students to complete this exercise on environmental issues (French only).
• Discuss how reducing consumption plays a big part in reducing our ecological footprint. Our Secondary V concept sheet on this topic (available in French only) examines how individual and collective behaviours lead to the overexploitation of natural resources. Some aspects of this sheet can be adapted for elementary students. For example, as a math activity, you can have students calculate the carbon footprint of different foods using the table included in the sheet.
• Discuss the origins of the food we buy at the grocery store. For example, whenever possible, we can choose local products and avoid buying fruits and vegetables that are not in season. Our content sheet on agricultural practices and fair trade (French only) is good supplementary material for Secondary I and II students.
• Discuss local food banks and organizations that fight food waste. If your students are curious about this topic, they can talk about it with their parents and find out more about the organizations’ missions and activities. Older high school students may even be interested in volunteering at one.
• Etc.

Reusing items is an effective way to avoid buying new products, which require energy and resources to produce. There are certain objects we cannot do without, such as electronic devices, cars and bikes, and household appliances. But when they break, the best thing is to try to repair them (or have them repaired) instead of throwing them away. In many cases, the problem stems from a single faulty part that may be easy to fix. There are many ways to explore the concept of reuse and repair with your students:

• Look into fab labs (link in French) in your area and encourage your students to visit them so they can hone their manual and digital skills and try hands-on repairs. Learning to do things on their own helps students gain confidence in their abilities, develop autonomy, and build self-esteem, among other benefits.
• Teach your students about product warranty clauses. Often, we buy bargain items to save a little money, but in the long run, they can end up polluting the planet. The longer the warranty, the more likely it is that the product will last and that the manufacturer will repair any defects.
• Discuss what school supplies can be reused. Examples include school bags, lunchboxes, and books, which can be donated to the school library or placed in book exchange boxes.
• Organize craft activities to transform old objects and give them a second life. You can find plenty of DIY-style projects on the internet. Your students will be rightfully proud of their creations since they will have created them for the planet’s sake!
• Etc.

In reality, producing zero waste is nearly impossible. But rather than giving up on the idea, we need to keep an open mind and understand that the goal is to limit the waste we cannot avoid. The best thing we can do is sort our waste properly and recycle what we can. Here are some ideas you can try out with your students:

• Learn about the different types of plastics and how to sort them at home and at school.
• Organize a waste-sorting activity using the RECYC-QUÉBEC app Ça va où?. This will also give your students a chance to develop their digital skills. By the end of the activity, students will be more aware of how to sort waste in the classroom. You can even suggest creating containers labeled “Sell,” “Donate,” “Recycle,” and “Throw away.”
• Encourage students to create classroom or school-wide green committees. They might even want to get involved at the community level. They can draw inspiration from the initiatives created by NGOs dedicated to fighting climate change. A great place to start is ENvironnement JEUnesse.
• Discuss the various issues related to waste in Montreal with your Secondary I and II students.
• Etc.

Nearly 60% of our household waste is organic, meaning it comes from living things, and there is no reason it should not be allowed to degrade naturally instead of ending up in our landfills. Fortunately, an increasing number of Quebec municipalities are implementing organic waste collection. In places where this service is not yet offered, there are still plenty of options to accelerate composting, including garden composting, vermicomposting (also called worm composting), and bokashi composting (an urban composting method). Here are some ways to explore the last of the 5 R’s with your students:

• Review concepts related to trophic relationships and the flow of matter (for Secondary IV), focusing especially on chemical recycling and the role decomposers play in balancing ecosystems. Follow up with these review exercises:
  • Trophic relationships and flow of matter
  • Chemical recycling (available in French only)
• Explain the importance of compost in biogeochemical cycles (elementary and high school). Review the nitrogen cycle, which mainly takes place in the soil, and discuss the importance of feeding the soil to maintain healthy ecosystems. Pair the content sheet with this interactive exercise (for Secondary IV).
• Etc.