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Students learn just how much garbage they generate

Cutting out granola bars was not a popular option
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Saoirse Reilly and Elizabeth Kotze sort through their waste. (Photos Gerry Leibel)

St. Anthony’s School grade 5 and 6 students last week learned just how much waste they generate.

As part of their Social Studies class with teacher Erin Baker looking at global problems, the students had to collect and store the waste they generated over a three-week period.

All the wrappers, cups and juice boxes from their lunches and snack times were then separated into what could be recycled, reused or had to be disposed of in the landfill.

“The students developed self-awareness of the garbage they created,” said Baker.

She said a critical part of the exercise was also to look at alternatives, like buying a large container of yogurt instead of a lot of smaller ones, reusing Ziplock bags and using thermos flasks to carry juice to school.

The other option, which wasn’t as popular, was cutting out certain items like granola bars which generate wrappers that can’t be recycled and end up in the landfill.

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Teacher Erin Baker helps students sort their garbage.