Where does the seed of hope come from? In the face of our global climate crisis, one teacher in a British Columbia classroom is facing climate concerns head on by bringing in an education program that counteracts despair with action, and pessimism with hope.
“Today’s students are regularly confronted with messages about climate change, global warming, and the growing burden of consumer waste — all of which can feel overwhelming and disempowering,” says Matt Blick, a teacher at Creston’s Adam Robertson Elementary. “The environmental issues we face are not going away — in fact, they are becoming more urgent.”
This is why Matt has brought Beyond Recycling, Wildsight’s 24-week environmental education program, into his Grade 5 classroom three separate years. For Matt, the program is a great tool to help his students make sense of the world, and their role in shaping its future.
“I chose to bring the Beyond Recycling program into my classroom because it moves beyond pessimism. Instead, it offers students practical, hopeful strategies to become informed and active citizens who care for the planet,” says Matt. “It helps them understand environmental issues and begin to see how they can be part of the solution.”
This program invites students to explore big ideas such as energy, waste, water and consumption. They explore topics and engage in hands-on learning activities to help bring the learning to life.
Students in Matt’s class alongside Creston students at Canyon Lister Elementary audited their classroom garbage, debated the merits of different energy sources, walked in the shoes of someone without access to clean water, and got their hands dirty making homemade granola bars under the careful guidance of Wildsight Educator Melissa Flint. Through these activities, students are developing a deeper understanding of their place in the world.
Waste not
In one of their first activities, Matt’s class conducted a garbage audit, discovering that only 5% of their classroom waste was truly garbage. The rest? Recyclable materials or perfectly edible food — some still unopened.
“This sparked critical thinking about consumption and waste in our daily lives,” says Matt.
From there, students explored the lifecycle of everyday items, from blue jeans to batteries, tracking the environmental impact from resource extraction to production, distribution, consumption and disposal.
After learning all about waste, the class took a field trip to the Creston Landfill. They saw where local waste goes and how much of it could be diverted. Students learned about organics composting, plastics recycling and even a new used-cooking oil program. They also discussed how keping organics out of the landfill can help reduce methane emissions.
“Standing on what looked like a hill—but was a mountain of garbage—made the issue feel very real. Comparing Creston’s waste to that of much larger cities helped reinforce the global scale of the problem,” states Matt.
This deep dive into waste was the most eye-opening experience for Matt’s students, beginning with the classroom audit, continuing with life cycle analysis, and culminating in the landfill visit.
“This journey helped students realize just how much waste we generate and the environmental toll it takes. It also challenged them to think about the difference between wants and needs and to consider long-term impacts. Witnessing the physical scale of waste in person left a lasting impression and reinforced the importance of reducing consumption in the first place.”
Water wondering
Melissa sees how students connect deeply with environmental issues like waste and water when the learning is connected to their own lives. One day, Melissa asked students a simple question: “What is it about water that you’re grateful for?” Student Emmett shared his love of hockey on frozen lakes. Brinley loved how refreshing water is. Others mentioned boating, swimming and cooking.
From there, the conversation deepened. Students learned that billions of people globally don’t have access to clean, safe water. In Creston, most families turn on the tap without thinking about it until a drought or infrastructure failure makes it impossible. But the discussion quickly hit home as students remembered a water shortage that left 38 homes in South Canyon (a rural community southeast of Creston) without water for 18 days in 2021, impacting some local families. Others pointed to Creston’s annual summer water restrictions. This led naturally into a discussion about water management.
Students brainstormed ways to reduce their own local water consumption and help keep local water sources clean including taking shorter showers, picking up after pets, reducing lawn watering and cleaning up garbage so it doesn’t end up in the water.
Future-forward outlook
Students leave Beyond Recycling with a stronger sense of their own ability to make change, that small choices can make a big difference and help shape the future of our planet.
“Beyond Recycling nurtures critical thinking, civic engagement, and a sense of hope,” says Matt. “It’s easy to overlook the influence young people can have, but the truth is [these kids] are only seven or eight years away from becoming voters. If they understand the issues and develop a vision for the kind of future they want, they can begin to use their democratic rights to help shape that future. This program plants the seeds of informed citizenship and environmental stewardship that will benefit not just their communities but the world.”
