1. Use reusable rags instead of paper towels

We use these for hand-washing and cleaning. We have two bins labeled clean and dirty. A rag is used once and then put into the dirty bin to be washed and used again.

In the education field, teachers are often encouraged to use non-edible play materials in the classroom instead of edible materials. Running a school with an environmental focus and low-waste philosophy often causes me to ponder this topic.

Eliminating food waste is a critical piece of our school’s zero waste philosophy. The leftover food from the children’s meals go to the farm animals or the compost pile to benefit our class gardens.