School Recycling Programs and Community Rebuild Centers

This has been a busy week! From building a chicken coop with the ReBuild Center for DIY NETWORK to volunteering at my daughter's school at a Jog-a-thon. What amazed me is even though I'm thinking salvage everyday, how much I continue to learn about recycling and reusing.  


Me and Other Parent Volunteers Willing to Do the Dirty Work to Teach Our Kids How to Manage Food Waste.

Recycling and Composting at the School, I really get right into it!

Years ago I started volunteering at my daughter's school for the Jog-A-Thon, for the most glamorous job -- TRASH! I realized there was too much of it -- so with a few other parent volunteers, we were able to start composting and recycling the lunches--literally working with each child and their lunch and showing them piece by piece what went were. It made a HUGE difference (we went from all trash to less than 1/3 trash) and that was just one event!  Now the school composts and recycles during regular lunch days! I can't believe that one small step many years ago lead to a large school policy change. A BIG thank you goes to the custodians, the lunch crew, and parent volunteers who are willing to go the extra mile to make it all work.

LESSON ONE.  You can make changes that matter if you are willing to get involved!

Thanks Jeremy! For helping me Build the Chicken Coop at the ReBuild Center!

Me, on top of the table putting together to salvaged 2x4's for the frame. We did a shout out to Builders for more donated salvaged dimensional lumber! 

 

The Whole Gang at Waste Not and The ReBuild Center got involved!  Thank you everyone. 

Working with Jeremy and the whole gang at Waste Not and Rebuild Center, I really got to know their programs.  Some people are volunteers and some are paid positions, but no matter what -- everyone works hard. There are so many people in and out all day -- donating materials and looking for materials. I realized (even more) how important the Rebuild and ReSource Centers are to our community. While we were building the coop I realized that they were running low on donated building materials so I did a SHOUT OUT to the building community. (Who responsed right away!)

The Rebuild Centers are not only a place to donate materials and for others to get some stuff at a great prices but they provide training and jobs many people in the community. It was an honor to work with them to build the chicken coop all out of salvaged material. I can't wait to let you know when the step by step goes live on DIY NETWORK.

LESSON TWO: Donating your building materials and using Recycled building materials is more important and bigger than we all imagined!   


Have a GREAT DAY!

My Best,
Joanne