Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
“When I see someone throw something into a waste bin, I feel it’s morally wrong,” says high-school student Tomas Lang. Tomas does not enjoy seeing plastic knives and forks thrown into the recycling bin every time there is a food event at his high school. He knows that polystyrene plastic does not get recycled. Furthermore, it takes centuries to break down plastic in landfill sites.
Tomas found a solution to the “throw away” habits he observed among those around him. Though most school libraries contain books and computers, Tomas has created a different kind of library; one that contains plates, forks, tumblers, knives. Thanks to Tomas, the Reusable Events Materials Library is a resource that has changed the way schools deal with waste. Sure, he knows that teachers do their part to teach about reducing, reusing, and recycling, but more action is needed, and time is running out. Landfill sites are growing and are spreading contaminants into the groundwater. Greenhouses gases are polluting the air. “Teachers can’t change things as fast as students can. They’re tied down by rules and bureaucracy,” says Tomas.
“Students aren’t as tied down by rules. They’re free to imagine. This is change from the bottom up rather than the top down.”
Tomas’ passion for conservation began at a young age. He grew up in a family that was always concerned about the environment.
“When I was a child, we had a composter in the garden. I used to go to Young Naturalists Club meetings. My parents are veterinarians we would go on outings to observe local wildlife in the lakes and woods,” remembers Tomas. “That was the way my family lived. We were always closely connected to the environment.”
These early interests have stayed with Tomas. Thanks to his initiative, Burnaby High School enjoyed its first Green Event, where students held a pancake breakfast in the gym. Tables were laden with not just pancakes, but stacks of china plates, bowls of metal knives and forks, and signs directing students on how to separate used utensils.
“It looked better. It looked cleaner. It was awesome because so much less garbage was created. Over the course of the school year, we got 2,500 uses of these plates, forks, and knives.”
That effort meant that thousands of plastic items did not end up in a landfill site.
“Undertaking this initiative wasn’t an easy ride,” cautions Tomas. “Not everyone gave me 100 percent support at the beginning.”
But with persistence and dedication to his cause, Tomas has won the support of the students and staff at his school and wants to build on his success and get the message out to other schools. His vision is to see more schools get on board and, whenever possible, to reuse before they recycle.
“I encourage my friends to think about what they’re using; to bring reusable bottles rather than disposable water bottles to school,” says Tomas. And as for the future, “I feel sustainability and environmental issues will be a part of any career I decide to pursue.”
Would you like to start a green project at your school? Do you have some doubts that you can do it? Tomas has good advice for you. “If you think you have an idea for a project, try talking to your school’s environment club, your teachers, principals, parents, and friends. Lots of people are out there to help you achieve your goals – you just need to reach out and ask for help.”
“Working on a project is a rewarding experiences,” says Tomas. “You will learn skills like leadership, perseverance, and creative problem-solving – skills which will stick with you for your whole life.”
Excerpted from “Everyone Can be a Changemaker: The Ashoka Effect” by Christine Welldon
