Raising a strong, resilient generation of planet protectors requires significant social change. A facet of that change is educating for conscious consumption as well as environmental responsibility. With students already being surrounded by learning furniture, that’s a great place to start. One of the most impactful ways we’ve found to achieve this is to tell a sustainability story wherever learning happens.
By using beautifully designed, multi-functional and sustainably made education furniture and elements, they open up the questions:
- What is this product made from?
- What has it become?
- Who made it?
- What can it be next?
With our Better Together partners Unbuilders and Heritage Lumber, we’ve started to create learning furniture that tells its sustainability story beautifully. By reclaiming lumber from existing old buildings and recrafting them to give the materials a second life; students are supported in their learning experience, while also being given an opportunity to learn the rich history of where their furniture came from.
The intention of this story and accompanying images is to offer inspiration for how you can tell a sustainability story within your own learning spaces. The photos shown are the journey of the newly designed indoor/outdoor table. With the start of a new school year and a shift to fall, this is a great time to revisit the benefits of indoor/outdoor learning. As learning happens everywhere and anywhere.
Unbuilders – The Story:
The demolition industry generates millions of tonnes of waste annually in Canada, 37% of which is valuable lumber. Companies are throwing away usable, renewable resources and charging their customers to do so.
Unbuilders doesn’t demolish old buildings, they unbuild them. The industry shift to deconstruction has massively positive environmental and social impacts. Currently, 4 million tonnes of waste are diverted annually by unbuilding buildings.
Our learning furniture, carrying the Unbuilders name, are manufactured by Heritage Lumber, a specialist in the supply, milling, and processing of reclaimed old growth lumber. Heritage Lumber completes the cycle of reclaiming lumber and giving it a second life as raw materials and finished product.
Unbuilders, based in British Columbia and serving North America, in partnership with Natural Pod have designed one-of-a-kind furniture to give salvaged lumber a new life to support students in their learning.
There are many ways to support students’ environmental awareness and stewardship. What opportunities are there in your learning spaces to do so?