BellTIME
Be inspired by your ‘stuff’
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
calling on second-level students from across
the country to creatively trace the life cycle of
their ‘stuff’ in a bid to raise awareness of where
it comes from, what happens to it when its
disposed of, and what impact this has on the
environment. The call comes as part of the EPA’s
‘The Story of Your Stuff 2019 (TSOYS)’
competition, which is now open for entries.
Commenting, the EPA’s Colette Ryan said:
“Second-level students are influential
consumers and will be the decision-makers of
tomorrow. The Story of Your Stuff aims to get
them to think and talk about their environment
and to understand where their ‘stuff’ comes
from and its environmental burden. As people
become more aware of the connectivity
between the quality of our environment and
how we consume, they then become more
discerning and sustainable consumers. The
decisions we make on a daily basis – what to
eat, what to wear, how to travel, how to dispose
of items – affect our well-being, the people
around us, and the environment, so it’s
important for everyone that our decision-
makers are aware of those links.”
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The winner of The Story of Your Stuff will
receive €500 for themselves and €500 for their
school. To be in with a chance to win, students
are invited to use a visual creative medium of
their choice, including video, animation,
drawings and photography, to tell the story of
their stuff. Competition details and more
competition tips are available on
http://thestoryofyourstuff.ie/ and the deadline
for entries is Friday, 8th March 2019.
How do you decide the object on which to base your
TSOYS project? Think about the things you use every
day and talk to your teacher. Some examples are mobile
phones, toiletries, notebooks, drinks containers and
even what’s in our lunchboxes. Do you know where any
of these objects started out or what they’re made from?
What happens to them when you’re finished using
them? Each one of those objects has its own
environmental life cycle story to tell, so pick the one
you’re most interested in, and start your research.
Unleash your inner detective and begin
your investigation
Once you’ve chosen an object, it’s time to start exploring
its life cycle. Visit the EPA’s IrelandsEnvironment.ie web
resource, where you will find a treasure trove of useful
information about climate change, biodiversity and
waste management. Next, search the internet or visit the
library to find specific information relating to your
project. Use your detective skills to research what your
object of choice is made of, how it is made, whether it
can be recycled, what happens to it if it can’t.
> Complete your project and enter
When you’ve finished your research and put together
your project in your medium of choice, ask your
teacher to enter it on your behalf. Good luck!
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