Waste Can Become Art

Popularly known as e-waste, electronic waste or theTomorrow Program. They shared how they felt
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE),about e-wastes and showed such through art works,
the term is directed to obsolete, discarded, brokenessays, poetry and letters. Their artworks of
electronic and electrical devices, which almost allstockpiled e-waste that are painted and written with
families are guilty of throwing out. One of the populartheir concerns and opinions are displayed at the
ways of disposing old and battered phones, TVs,Schad Gallery of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) all
laptops and computers is through landfills. Anotherthroughout last month.
way is exporting still usable electronic and electricalAraby Porter, one of the Grade 6 teachers, said that
gadgets to developing countries.the program caused a big impact on the pupils with
And that is where the problem begins. The Unitedregards to their thinking and re-thinking about the
Nations Environment Program reports that 50 tons ofissue on e-waste. She also believes that the Weston
electronic wastes are being thrown each year. In theLeaders of Tomorrow Program served as an
United States, reports say that 70% of landfills areeye-opener for the pupils on how critical the problem
filled with e-waste. With this very high percentageon e-waste is. Penny Lam, also a Grade 6 teacher,
and the fact that e-gadgets are part of everydayexpresses her admiration of the artworks that her
living, in comes the Weston Leaders of Tomorrowpupils did. She said that her pupils have created a
Program which promotes awareness of e-waste andmagnificent work and conveyed a message on how
the threats to health that come with it. This isimportant the issue of e-waste is. The students, on
supported by The Conservation Foundation ofthe other hand, are also very enthusiastic about the
Greater Toronto, TRCA and The W. Garfield Westoncampaign. And with that, the pupils are thinking of a
Foundation.more in-depth project, a research project on
Two Grade 6 classes from Sixteenth Avenue Publice-waste.
School in Richmond Hill, together with their teachers,Aside from artworks made from pile of e-wastes,
launched a drive to address the global problem. Themake a statements using Cricut expression can also
pupils took part and rendered their views regardingbe done. Look for Cricut information and have your
e-waste by participating in the Toronto and Regionsay about WEEE.
Conservation's Weston Environmental Leaders of