The EkoSkola committee at St Joseph Senior School, Sliema, has dedicated its efforts towards the intelligent use of resources and reduction of waste.
One group of students conducted a survey to investigate how, during the COVID-19 pandemic, food waste was affected in households.
Food waste is the loss in edible food mass that was originally intended for human consumption. The study showed that the vast majority of households of the school community changed their eating habits during the pandemic, wherein most families opted for home-cooked meals.
The study also revealed that many families were making better use of left-over food, giving rise to less food waste. Moreover, many families showed a preference towards buying local produce.
Households changed eating habits during the pandemic
It concluded that meticulous food planning, careful storage, appropriate food preservation and composting helped to reduce food waste.
Another group of students dedicated their efforts toward studying fast fashion – the mass production of inexpensive clothing in response to recent fashion trends.
The production of clothing involves the use of various chemicals such as dyes and softeners. These chemicals are ultimately disposed in oceans, thus causing a great deal of pollution and posing a serious threat to the world.
An activity was held whereby students were encouraged to bring their favourite fashion garments to school.
A discussion about decent working conditions and child labour ensued. Students noted that when buying clothes, customers should ideally look out for brands that promote best practices.
Another good practice would be to make economical use of resources by swapping clothes or donating them to second-hand clothes shops.
Changing habits in the food and fashion sectors are definitely not simple to do, and there are many problems that need to be tackled.
But the EkoSkola committee believes that with appropriate education, environmental awareness and environmental consciousness, everyone can engage in a more sustainable lifestyle.
For moe information, visit the links below.
http://stjosephsliema.edu.mt/yre-project-fast-fashion
http://stjosephsliema.edu.mt/yre-food-waste-households
http://stjosephsliema.edu.mt/yre-food-waste-hospitality