In recent years, people have become increasingly cognizant of how different factors and behaviors negatively affect the environment. In line with this trend, in June, Yew Chung International School Beijing Year 3 students examined different elements of sustainability and how each one of them can help lower the impact on the planet. As part of their Unit about Sustainability, students took part in the 25 Bottle Challenge, where they had to bring 25 bottles to school over a period of a week and drop them off at a recycling plant by end of the challenge.

This project was inspired by a video about a school in India where students engaged in the same activity with the purpose of not only saving the planet, but also use plastic as an alternative currency to paying school fees instead of cash.During the same week, parents were also encouraged to support their children’s learning about sustainability at home. They were asked to fill out a Parent Sustainability Survey to gauge how environmentally friendly their life-style is. The survey was also a way to prove how all of us as a community (in an individual, local, national and global scales) can positively impact the environment.

The week also comprised of other several activities across different subjects where students gave suggestions about which steps to take to protect the planet. Some of the suggestions students mentioned were recycling, less food wastage, and saving water.

Throughout their “Sustainability Week”, students continued researching about theme and on the last day they shared snacks, of course served from plates, and cups provided by the school and not disposable tableware!