Twice a week, I burn my trash in a small pit outside my rondavel.
Tremendous guilt sets in the minute I strike the match, realizing that I’m contributing towards global warming. Each time, I’m surprised to see how easy it is to burn plastic bags and Styrofoam packaging trays. The fact that this is a big, “No-No” in many parts of the western world, with strict recycling laws, adds to my sense of wrongdoing.
The problem is, I have more trash than the Basotho because I buy mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, and cauliflower, imported from South Africa, and packaged in Styrofoam trays. These vegetables are not part of the Basotho diet in my rural village.
When I first posted photos of my “Lack of Privacy” in my village, and how everyone is interested in what I’m burning, my author friend, Ian Mathie, mentioned letting my students figure out what the children can make from my “trash.”
I procrastinated for several reasons:
- I wanted to collect enough items of the same kind, for example, 16 Styrofoam trays or milk cartons, so everyone would be working on that same item. It would take me forever to eat 16 trays of mushrooms.
- I didn’t want to use my own data to pull up step by step ideas from the Internet, and my Principal, didn’t want to offer to pay. “There’s no money,” she would say.
- I didn’t have enough ideas to make something without the right supplies for that project.
Then, last week, I’d collected a huge plastic bag full of many recyclable items, and carried it to my Grade 5 students.
When I opened the bag, and displayed all the objects on the table, the kids went crazy. They wanted those empty yoghurt cartons, empty toothpaste boxes, and fought over them, as though I’d offered them brand new toys.
I told them to take the items home, and to bring them back the next day, with their “creations.”
Honestly, I felt relieved to get rid of my waste, and not have to burn it, but did not expect them to make anything from it.
The following morning, the children were so excited to show me their creations, and I was blown away. I did not realize the kids could be so creative with recycling trash to toys.
I had underestimated my 5th grade Basotho students ability to come up with something, but when you can’t afford toys, it’s amazing what you can make from “trash.”
Miss Footloose says
September 4, 2016 at 7:33 amGreat fun, Sonia! I remember well the amazingly creative toys I saw while living in Africa, made from empty sardine cans, bits of wire, string, caps, cardboard, anything at all. You can google “African toys,” or “toys made by African children” and see lots of pictures. From trash to treasure! I also remember when living in a small village, that every time I took our trash out to the “dump” outside the village, moments later people were all over the place searching to see if there was anything they could use. Made me feel bad… Anyway, you now have a great way to use your recyclables! I think kids in the rich countries should be given an assignment just like yours. Better than staring at their gadgets’ screens all the time!
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Sonia Marsh says
September 4, 2016 at 10:44 amWhat a great idea Miss Footloose. I didn’t think about Googling “African toys.” I am happy that they want my trash to make things from.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Recycling Trash to Toys
Eileen Hopkins says
September 4, 2016 at 10:36 amWhat a fantastic idea on so many levels. I remember creating trash into treasures as a child. Old golf tees glued to the bottom of a “found” shell was one such memorable item! Art can take many forms. Functional and fanciful. Well done!
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Sonia Marsh says
September 4, 2016 at 10:45 amSometimes I wish I could come up with my own creative toys with what I have as trash.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Recycling Trash to Toys
Carol says
September 5, 2016 at 1:02 amThe best “creation” I see on the photos is their smiles!
You could make a collage with your trash, do a bit of painting, and then cover all the bare walls!
Sonia Marsh says
September 5, 2016 at 3:07 amThat’s also a great idea Carol.
Thanks.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Recycling Trash to Toys
Ian Mathie says
September 5, 2016 at 2:43 amOh you of little faith! There you are living in one of the most inventive places in the world and worrying about what the children can make of your recyclables when all you need to do is hand them over and watch their imagination catch fire. They will never cease to amaze you for Africans are experts at thinking outside any boxes you can dream up. They don’t need the internet to fuel this, they’re better than that!
So now you rubbish problem is solved and you can stop burning most things. Just save them up and once a month hand them over and maybe have a competition for the most inventive creation (as chosen by you and voted for by the rest of the class if you want to be democratic). You could perhaps offer a new ballpoint pen or something as a prize. It doesn’t need to be of significant value, just something to spire to.
That sounds like a win/win situation all round. You might even get a shelf put up in your classroom where the winning creations could go on display, along with the maker’s name. A little bit of recognition all adds incentive. You could also ask them to write a few words about their creations, just to reinforce your English lessons.
Well done! 🙂
Sonia Marsh says
September 5, 2016 at 3:13 amIan,
I hope they try other creations next time. I see cars most of the time, but not dolls or other objects made from plastic bottles, etc.
I was surprised because in my opinion, they do not seem to “think outside the box” when it comes to ideas to write about. Compositions are always the same. This is also a problem in Sesotho, the other teachers tell me.
I’m happy to have followed your advice about letting them take care of creating something.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Recycling Trash to Toys
Ian Mathie says
September 5, 2016 at 6:13 amSo set them a challenge when you hand over your recyclables and make the competition to produce the best doll or item of domestic furniture. i’m sure you can invent suitable categories and then ask them to write about what they have made and why it is important to them. Ask them to be as inventive with their reasoning as they are with the making.
Ian Mathie says
September 5, 2016 at 6:19 amTo help things along, take the occasional interesting item into class and ask them to list as many uses for it as they can. Start with things like an empty bean tin, or a standard house brick. You might have to do a little homework of your own with this challenge as it helps to have a fairly extensive list of your own. After a couple f items they should get the idea and then their ideas will really start to flow.
You could all have a lot of fun wit this, especially if they have to explain the less obvious uses they propose.