Zero Waste School (Wien 7.-12.10. 2024)
Participants: Pirkko Järvinen and Heli Mäkelä

The topic of the course was Zero Waste School. The purpose was to inform teachers how to minimize waste and reduce its harmful impact on the environment.  

First, the course introduced participants to the principles of a zero-waste lifestyle and explained how to plan and introduce effective waste reduction strategies in their schools. 

During the course, we learnt about different forms of waste and waste prevention and identified several strategies we can propose to our learners to reduce waste. We discussed food waste at school and discovered how to prevent it. 

Moreover, the course also explored how slow fashion and critical consumption can help reduce environmental pollution. Participants discovered how to evaluate the impact of non-ecological dressing and practiced several activities to bring their students’ awareness on the same issue and promote school projects on sustainable fashion. 

Finally, participants investigated the plastic crisis, explore clean-up initiatives, and DIY workshops that can help to recycle plastic waste, and explore sustainable alternatives. 

Ideas for our own school:  

-In the future, we could have an optional biology course dealing with environmental issues (biowaste bins in the school premises, composting, organizing fleamarkets etc). 

-Fresh ideas how to include Zero Waste ideology in all school subjects (for example in Finnish, English, Swedish, mathematics, chemistry, history, biology, home economics etc.) 

-In Vienna, we saw plenty of separate recycling bins for biowaste, bottles and plastic on the streets: why couldn’t this be the case in Finland and in Kouvola, as well?