About
Recycling Bin
In the fall of 1990, the School began taking recycling seriously. A collection system was introduced that still operates today: recycling containers that sit beside garbage cans in every dorm room are emptied into House bins, and then transported to a central collection point. In the early years, Grade 8 science classes took turns sorting the material weekly before it was sent off to recycling facilities. As volumes grew, the task eventually required a dedicated staff member to oversee the program.
Education has always been essential. With students constantly arriving and departing, learning how to sort properly is an ongoing effort. For more than two decades, the School benefited from the tireless enthusiasm of “Enviro Man,” a science teacher, who taught – and retaught – the rules through demonstrations, skits, and frequent reminders. Friendly competition helped too, with F.R.O.G. awards (Fanatical Recycling’s Our Goal) recognizing Houses with the best recycling habits. Inter-House competitions continue to reinforce these lessons today.
The scale of the School’s recycling is impressive: at peak times, three 12-yard containers can fill in half a day. Organic recycling plays a role as well. Groundskeeping generates enormous amounts of yard waste, which – along with kitchen scraps – is composted in large cement bins. The goal of this complex process is to create usable topsoil to help maintain the beautiful campus gardens and playing fields.
Today, these efforts are supported by the Sustainability Council, a group of Grade 12 students committed to recycling, conservation, and environmental awareness year-round, including the week of Earth Day. Recycling is in fact a part of The Shawnigan Journey: Environmental Sustainability. “The School builds sustainability programming and environmental awareness into the student experience in parallel with the School’s commitment to campus stewardship and sustainability.”
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
The scale of the School’s recycling is impressive: at peak times, three 12-yard containers can fill in half a day. Organic recycling plays a role as well. Groundskeeping generates enormous amounts of yard waste, which – along with kitchen scraps – is composted in large cement bins. The goal of this complex process is to create usable topsoil to help maintain the beautiful campus gardens and playing fields.
Today, these efforts are supported by the Sustainability Council, a group of Grade 12 students committed to recycling, conservation, and environmental awareness year-round, including the week of Earth Day. Recycling is in fact a part of The Shawnigan Journey: Environmental Sustainability. “The School builds sustainability programming and environmental awareness into the student experience in parallel with the School’s commitment to campus stewardship and sustainability.”
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
