Trash for Education

Inspiring a collective love for recycling through education.

Trash for Education (T4E) is an innovative, incentive-based crediting program designed by Green Institute to reduce waste, reward sustainable practices, and, ultimately, increase environmental sustainability efforts. When program participants eliminate waste through the proper waste collection, sorting, trading, reuse, and recycle, the system rewards them with “credits.” These “credits,” which can be earned for valuable wastes and other unused materials, can be traded for tuition for formal education, educational materials, and vocational training. In addition to providing education and educational support materials, the Institute hopes to use this program to generate employment and train people on waste management skills. T4E also serves as an avenue for donations; individuals can support the organization by collecting and giving waste as a substitute for monetary donations. Trash for Education’s material value for participants through the revenue generation from waste reuse and recycling makes this program innovatively sustainable. Also, the T4E program promotes the ideals of sustainability, conservation of resources, recycling natural resources, while also training participants to engage in these behaviors. Beyond an assured remuneration for waste collectors and ultimate value for end-users, it is anticipated that Trash for Education will foster the development of desirable values of communal benefit in our societies.