Siqi – Atful Garbage with the Three R’s: Reducing, Recycling, and Reusing

My family always has been into recycling and reducing our garbage as much as we can. But in my opinion the most important of the three R’s is reusing. If you reuse garbage for a different purpose, you have eliminated the problem of waste altogether.

I always have been into art and the environment. But as every artist knows, supplies are not cheap, which is why I take what my family would normally throw away and turn it into a work of my creativity and art! Something I started doing a couple years ago was reusing cracker boxes and anything else made from the same thin cardboard. I cut it up and make smaller boxes in the shapes of a heart or star or even a butterfly. Then I would cut pictures into strips to cover them in bright colors. Last year I made lots of flowers for my friends as birthday presents. Not only was it fun, but I think it was special too.

I also cut the tops off empty soda cans and fill them with wax, making unique candles. I make my own paper from flyers and junk mail that turn an ordinary letter into something more fun to read. To go along with my recycled paper, I make envelopes from pages of magazines. I find an interesting ad or picture, fold the edges, and type the sides to make an envelope.

Other useful ideas: Clearly milk bottles make interesting candle holders, old calendar pictures make nice envelopes too, old toothbrushes can be boiled and bent into cool bracelets (not my idea, but still a good one); and even worn-out sneakers filled with plaster can be made different bookends! I’m sure there are a million other things you could do with just about any type of garbage. All you need is your imagination.  what do you do with your garbage?

Iris – Roots and Shoots: Becoming a Volunteer

There are many unforgettable memories in my life. The most significant memory I always recall is the experience of joining the Roots and Shoots (R&S).

This group is instituted by Doctor Jane Goodall. She is a famous researcher who studies chimpanzees. “R&S is an international hands-on environmental and humanitarian education program, with the goal of creating positive change—for our communities, for animals and for the environment.”

Although we could not solve such a big pollution problem, we can start from every little things. I joined this group 4 years ago and struggled to understand how to best protect our environment. As a member of Green Piece Group, we collected wastes regularly, such as discard bottle and newspapers, and then recycled them. At the same time, other two members and I started to advocate students to use packages and bags instead of plastic packages. Although we did not succeed at the first, the proposa; was accepted by most students finally by combining it with other strategies.

Due to good performance of works, my school presented me with the outstanding delegates to be awarded by Jane Goodall. I believed that this experience will benefit my future because I possess the desire to protect our planet.