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The Montessori School of Columbia believes in taking care of the environment. As part of our commitment to a greener planet, we are part of the Green Steps Schools program sponsored by Sonoco Recycling, Keep the Midlands Beautiful, DHEC, and the Sertoma Club. Every year we commit to a project that will enable us to take better care of the earth. All projects must be sustainable and must teach students about ecology. In keeping with Montessori philosophy, all projects are run by students.

In previous years we began composting; recycling all types of paper, cardboard, plastic, and glass; and improving indoor air quality by placing plants in every classroom.

For our new project this fall, Ruth Dibble, one of our upper elementary students asked if we could recycle Capri Sun drink pouches. She had read about the program and wondered if the Montessori School might participate. I asked her to research the program and report back to the class.

Ruth learned that Terracycle, Inc., repurposes drink pouches, making them into tote bags and other products. They pay organizations $. 02 per pouch and request that contributors send packages of 200 at a time. Terracycle pays for the postage cost for mailing the pouches.

So Ruth and Sue registered the school online as a Terracycle team.We have 38 students at the elementary school. All of them who drink CapriSun bring their empty pouches to the upper elementary room where we collect them in boxes. Ruth has tracked our numbers all year, and we are about to mail in our first shipment of 200.

While some students chuckle about the “windfall” we will receive from the project, they know that the real reason we are collecting the pouches is to keep them out of landfills.