A School in Espoo Celebrated World Environment Day with Recycling Workshops
Preserving and enhancing biodiversity is important on global, national, and local levels. At its best, diverse environmental education can help children and young people form a connection with nature and act in ways that promote biodiversity. It can also strengthen feelings of inclusion and meaningfulness, as well as support health and well-being. Environmental education is reflected both in sustainable everyday practices and in inspiring special events related to environmental themes. One such celebration took place at Saunalahti School on World Environment Day.
Environmental School Polku and Saunalahti School Celebrated World Environment Day with Recycling Crafts
On Friday, May 30th, Environmental School Polku organized a recycling craft workshop day at Saunalahti School, aimed at first-grade students. The event celebrated both World Environment Day (June 5th) and the 35th anniversary of Environmental School Polku. It was also a part of the school’s ongoing international Erasmus+ project, which aims to increase collaboration between the school and external partners by taking teaching beyond the classroom.
The craft workshops were held in collaboration with external experts. The program was coordinated by environmental education specialists Anu Kaila and Elena Lehtimäki from Environmental School Polku, along with intern Faria Zahin from the University of Tampere. The theme of the workshops was biodiversity, and the students created meadow-themed art pieces using recycled materials. These materials were sourced from the Material Bank of the Capital Region Recycling Centre, located in the Nihtisilta department store. The Material Bank provides free recycled materials to schools, daycare centers, playgrounds, clubs, and other non-commercial groups – making it a valuable resource for all teachers and educators in Espoo.
"It was wonderful that Environmental School Polku collaborated with us on this recycling-themed project. Throughout the autumn and spring, we’ve been studying in the forest weekly with our first graders. There, we’ve done various subject-related tasks, such as math, environmental studies, and visual arts. Now we also got to try working with recycled materials and created beautiful meadow-themed artworks. At the same time, we learned more about biodiversity. Through our Erasmus project, we want to showcase what education outside the classroom can look like. With the help of different partners, teaching becomes richer and offers new perspectives for teachers too," explains Saunalahti School teacher Sanna Seppänen, describing the collaboration with Environmental School Polku and the Erasmus+ project.
Saunalahti School and Environmental School Polku have a long-standing partnership in environmental education. The school has proudly earned the Green Flag certification, and environmental themes are prominently visible in its daily activities. Environmental School Polku is part of the Capital Region Recycling Centre, one of whose stakeholders is the City of Espoo. The Centre’s operations are guided by strong environmental values: the goal is always to find the most environmentally friendly solution, maximize the conservation of natural resources, and minimize environmental harm and climate impact.
The event provided a great example of how environmental education can combine creativity, sustainability, and international collaboration – while also offering children joy, insight, and hands-on experiences with the possibilities of recycled art.
