Student-led sustainability initiative to increase recycling opportunities for used school supplies

EcoBeyond is a student-led sustainability initiative focused on increasing the availability of recycling opportunities for commonly discarded school supplies such as pens, markers and crayons. Led by Aarav Gumber, a junior at Tesla STEM High School, EcoBeyond empowers students to act against plastic waste in the form of school supplies through recycling drives. EcoBeyond combines environmental education with community engagement with the goal to inspire long-term sustainable habits.

Over the past year, EcoBeyond has:

• Partnered with Tesla STEM High School, Alcott Elementary School, Carson Elementary School, Issaquah Library and Redmond Library.
• Recycled over 25,000 school supplies across these locations.

Aarav has also joined the Lake Washington School District Sustainability Advisory Committee and presented the Initiative to other members. Aarav is working to grow EcoBeyond to other schools throughout the district.

Are there other sustainability initiatives you’d like to see LWSD offer? Contact Associate Director of Sustainability and Resource Conservation, Hannah Ljunggren, at hljunggren@lwsd.org.