Wednesday, October 22nd – that day, a contest carrying an important message took place – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… And shine on a runway! The theme was “EcoFashion from recycling.” The contest was held as part of the upcoming District Environmental Conference “The Future Begins Today: Youth Facing the Climate Crisis,” where we will announce the competition results.

So, naturally, our first graders became eco-friendly models and fashion designers! They made glamorous and stylish outfits with surprising accessories. By doing so, they showed us that their imagination knows no limits. Not only did they use second-hand clothing but also old plastic bottles, bags, used CDs and batteries, papers, magazines, damaged ropes – in summary: literal garbage.

More importantly, we were reminded about the dangers that come with pollution: how many animals such as turtles are dying because of filthy water, how awfully littered are forests and meadows, and also how huge the impact is on people and our whole planet Earth.

In addition to creativity, their presentation, the variety of materials used, the way they presented their project and, of course, the connection to the theme were also evaluated. The participants displayed their ideas through touching stories, amusing sketches and interesting solutions.

Nowadays, there is a serious problem with fast fashion (the mass production of cheap, low-quality clothes that quickly go out of style). Companies produce enormous amounts of clothes unnecessarily. Buying second-hand clothing, for example from thrift stores, helps reduce their income and discourages them from continuing mass production.

In the name of the “3 R’s rule” (Reduce – Reuse – Recycle), which we mentioned earlier, items that would probably be thrown into a trashcan might as well be turned into something useful – and it doesn’t have to be clothing. For instance, from bottles you can make DIY organizers or pots for plants. These gadgets are very practical!

Recycling (the process of converting waste into reusable materials) is a key to sustainability. The negative impact on the environment is minimized by reducing the amount of garbage and reusing it. For example, using recycled material in road or building construction reduces the consumption of natural resources and the carbon footprint of the entire project.

This contributes to the development of a circular economy (an economic system where materials are reused, repaired, or recycled instead of being thrown away), and can lead to energy savings and reduced emissions of harmful substances. In addition, the development of recycling technologies creates new economic opportunities and jobs in the green technology sector (industries focused on protecting the environment through sustainable innovations).