How junior high students are trying to create change

A grade 8 class at Crowther Memorial Junior High School found inspiration from well beloved movie Wall-E to create positive change in the community.

Lindsay Walker's class watched the movie and has since been tasked with finding ways to address issues surrounding climate change and environmental friendliness, and one group decided to tackle composting.

To help reduce waste and increase composting in our community, Cohen McMahon, Peyton Chilton, Cylus Foster, and Daylen Hoesing have decided to do try and raise money to put composting bins around the school.

"We're probably going to do some small jobs on the side to raise money to buy composting bins, like the fertilizing ones that turn into dirt, so then we can put the waste into composting bins, and then it turns into dirt, and then we have more dirt to help plants and trees grow, which takes the stuff that we compost and reuses it for more things to grow," Peyton said.

Regarding collection, the group said they would take it upon themselves to take the bins to a composting facility. Beyond just the school the group has some potential lofty ambitions as well, as they hope to talk to the Town of Strathmore to see if getting composting bins set up in places like Kinsmen Park would be possible.

Cylus added once the composting is turned into dirt and fertilizer, it could be used not just for the school, but the entire community.

"There is a garden in front of the school so we could also use some of that compost there as well, help the flowers there grow. And there's plenty of other gardens in the community as well that this composting can go to," he said. 

As for why the group chose composting specifically, Peyton explained a specific moment in Wall-E inspired them.

"One of the things that Wall-E focused on was cleaning up a lot of waste, and he found one plant that was still partly alive. If we reduce the amount of waste, more plants can grow where the waste used to be. It brings more beauty to the earth that there's more thriving plants," she said

On top of the big plan to buy bins and bring it to a composter, the group also hopes to spread awareness through engaging signs across the school that catch people's attention.

Environment Canada identifies organic material as making up about 40% of residential waste. With this group's effort, that number could get a lot lower within Crowther Memorial and potentially our community.

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