Recycling for Good Stuff

“I love that sound,” says Mia, as she tosses empty aluminium cans into a big pile, and they tinkle about, creating a pleasing percussion. 

“It sounds really relaxing.”

Thank goodness for Mia and Aggie, who both turned up after school last Wednesday (apologies for the short notice!), both with big smiles, happy to put on gloves and help with the task at hand: tipping over five collection boxes, sorting the contents that spill out.

The end-of-day bell had rung, and it looked like I mightn’t get any helpers, and I started to get all philosophical, and I wrote this in my notebook: “collecting and sorting, in most societies, throughout history, it’s been women’s work, children’s work”.

Then this happened: Allison shanghaied three SKiPPS dads (all wearing black) to come over and help. Jordy, Afik and Craig (& Justin joined later), and my goodness they dug in, and what a treat to work alongside them. What an example they set! 

They are my heroes!

And Harrison and Karsten stacked all the empty plastic drink cups into towers, and we filled two big bags with mostly cans, and last week I processed them (total count 986 = $98.60), and next week I’ll donated $50 of that money to a charity the helps young people navigate mental health issues.

Every little bit counts.

News from Allison: the SKiPPS community have raised $106.30 from recycling 10c deposit containers this term, and the Green Team have chosen to donate the money to Earth Care St Kilda. “Thanks to Mia and Dash for helping count this week!”.

Wonderful effort, and what a great contribution to the local community!

Allison also got out a paint brush and added some more art to the school. She texted a photo of her signwriting, with this message: “It’s not perfect, hope you don’t mind. So many kids were asking why it was blank!!!”

Ha! I don’t mind at all! But I will do some upkeep on the two school boxes over the holidays, because it’s always good to keep things changing, evolving, and to keep the children guessing!

Thanks to all who’ve dropped drink containers in the box. Good stuff? Great stuff!

Dugald