DAT HS Goes Green

On November 19, 2014, DAT High School students visited Red Star Rags, a textile recycling plant. The owner of the plant, Barbara Chapman, led the students on a tour. The students learned about where clothing goes after it is donated to a thrift shop or the like. According to Barbara, only 60% of clothing remains as clothing after going through the recycling plant. Barbara also mentioned that to make one t-shirt, it takes 700 gallons of water. Some of the clothing is turned into rags, while other piles of sweatshirts and pants are sold to countries around the world. 40-80,000 pounds of textiles are purchased by Barbara per year to support her textile business. Clothing that cannot be reused or recycled is sent to a landfill. “While at the textile recycling factory, I was struck by the massive stuffed animal pile waiting to go to the landfill. So much of my childhood was centered around these plush toys and it made me sad to see so many fuzzy friends laying unloved, forgotten, and abandoned in a warehouse." said senior, Avital Rotbart. To prepare for this ECE, students watched and answered questions on two documentaries about recycling and sustainability. To watch these documentaries, click here for the documentary entitled “Plastic Paradise” and here for the documentary entitled “The Story of Stuff.” While the students were on the bus on the way to Red Star Rags, they listened to a radio story about transporting old clothing to third-world countries on NPR. It described the remarkable journey of a Bat-Mitzvah t-shirt. To listen to the story, click here.

The students have completed the Sustainability unit on Wednesday, January 7th by take this quiz. They discovered how many planets would be needed if the entire population of the earth lived the same way that they did.

Mrs. Alter provided a bingo game for the students to play over the month of January. They will have the opportunity to win prizes if they complete enough sustainable activities during their everyday lives.

The students then discussed “green” business ideas. Along with other ideas, a recycling program for the “splash sticks” (little plastic sticks) at Starbucks, a refill center for toiletries and cosmetics, and a denim recycling plant were considered.

The students can't wait to begin using their new knowledge to impact the community. More information about an upcoming clothing drive will be published at a later date.

Written by Rivka Miriam Reiffman

#ece #sustainability