A Unidade de Educação Infantil Professora Telma Vitória é uma das três finalistas do concurso #KeepOnRecycling promovido pela TerraCycle, uma empresa que atua na área de reciclagem e destinação correta de resíduos. O concurso irá premiar com até R$6 mil a postagem feita em rede social sobre o tema da reciclagem que tiver maior engajamento.

Segundo o Índice de Sustentabilidade Urbana (ISLU), 76% dos municípios brasileiros tem coleta de lixo e apenas 49% destas cidades fazem a destinação correta dos resíduos. O que é mais grave é que dos resíduos coletados no Brasil só são reciclados 3,9%.

O Dia Internacional da Reciclagem é comemorado nesse domingo, dia 17 de maio, conforme determinado pela Unesco (Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, a Ciência, e a Cultura). Devido à pandemia, provocada pelo Covid-19, a Prefeitura de Belo Horizonte determinou, através de um decreto, a suspensão das atividades de reciclagem de resíduos no município. Por esse motivo, de março até o momento, o Instituto Mário Penna não está destinando os seus resíduos à reciclagem, mas internamente, as normas ambientais continuam sendo seguidas à risca, como por exemplo, o consumo consciente da água em todas as instalações.

While there’s no scientific evidence to support this claim, there’s a widely shared consensus that most people eat ice cream directly out of the container. While a seemingly unimportant detail in the production of this popular dessert, for Nestlé, it was one of the most critical considerations as it planned out a new, radical design for its Häagen-Dazs ice cream brand. In January of 2019, Nestlé announced a partnership with TerraCycle, a global recycling organization that was rolling out a first-of-its-kind home delivery service called Loop. TerraCycle, known for its mission to eliminate waste by creating new products from the collection of hard-to-recycle materials, has been around for two decades. Last year, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, TerraCycle founder Tom Szaky unveiled Loop, a shopping platform that will enable people to consume products in customized, brand-specific, durable packaging that is collected, cleaned, and refilled. As the world shines a spotlight on sustainability initiatives that factor in recycling single-use packaging, Loop takes the eco-friendly, green model to the next level by introducing reusable containers. And some of the biggest food and beverage and consumer package goods (CPG) companies including Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Clorox, Mars, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and more, were onboard for the pilot program that launched last year. For its part, Nestlé joined Loop as it committed to expanding its global efforts to develop new packaging designs that minimize the impact on the environment, noting that by 2025 the company plans to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable. As part of the Loop pilot program, Häagen-Dazs ice cream was delivered in a reusable, stainless-steel, double-walled ice cream container, which keeps product fresh and cold while maintaining the pint at a comfortable temperature for the person eating the ice cream straight from the container. The design also enables the ice cream to melt quicker at the top, and its rounded edges means the last spoonful doesn’t get stuck in the corners of the container. “The package design process was a critical part of the entire Loop process,” said Steve Yeh, a project manager at Häagen-Dazs. “It’s not just about making a reusable container, it’s also about creating a high-touch consumer experience.” According to Yeh, the Häagen-Dazs package went through a total of 15 iterations before it finally launched. “Nestlé committed major resources to design and develop the original package.” The team also worked closely with Loop on developing breakthrough cooling technology for the Loop Tote, which the ice cream container is delivered in via UPS. Terracycle officials admit there is a cost to manufacturing partners committing to Loop—from the investment in new durable packaging to the design of the product to the time spent understanding how to handle new packaging lines and how to scale to meet demand. But the reality today is that sustainability efforts are here to stay. And any new endeavor is going to require an upfront investment. According to a new business intelligence report from PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (and Automation World parent company), packaging sustainability has moved beyond a trend and is now a global shift. Released in March 2020, the report, “Packaging Sustainability: A Changing Landscape,” reveals how sustainable packaging initiatives at CPGs are affecting machines, materials, and packaging formats. The report states that the global sustainable packaging market reported that total value of revenue was estimated at $220 billion in 2018 and is predicted to reach $280 billion in 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6%. The report is based on information collected from 100 sources and 60 interviews. The majority of the CPGs interviewed are looking to switch to lighter weight, recyclable, and sustainable materials to reduce waste. About 36% of the CPGs interviewed are exploring the circular model of reuse/return/refill. The circular economy For decades consumers have been participating in the “throwaway lifestyle,” where single-use products are disposed of resulting in massive amounts of waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the total generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2017 was 267.8 million tons or 4.51 pounds per person per day. Of the MSW generated, more than 94 million tons of MSW were recycled and composted, equivalent to a 35.2% recycling and composting rate. In other words, we don’t have a good track record for recycling. TerraCycle thought there must be another way—which is Loop. “The genesis of Loop is a tighter, closed-loop system that has manufacturers taking back ownership of their packaging,” said Ben Weir, Loops’ business development manager for North America. “It’s bringing about the reusability of packaging in something that is durable and long-lasting and that can be cleaned and used hundreds of times.” It’s not a new concept, but rather a throwback to the milkman model in which consumers returned the glass containers. What’s new is the aesthetic benefits that will drive consumer brand perception—and, while not obvious at first—it is a better economic model for the manufacturer. “The concept of a circular economy is an economic model, not a sustainability framework,” said Tim Debus, president and CEO of the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA). “By decoupling growth from the consumption of finite resources, maintaining product values at their highest, and building market resilience to source material disruptions. It is estimated that the circular economy offers $4.5 trillion of value from new growth and innovation opportunities, and the world today is only 8.6% circular.” There is an enormous opportunity, but manufacturers may hesitate due to the upfront investment related to packaging design and retooling machinery. According to Nestlé’s Yeh, the company used its Bakersfield, Calif., facility to ramp up its production of ice cream in reusable and durable containers for the Loop pilot project. “We decided to retrofit an existing line to support the platform versus investing in a new line. It was not an easy changeover and required some reengineering. Some of the changes involved installing more modern equipment including better code daters and more modern metal detection.” Yeh said they also incorporated improvements to existing processes, which requires additional staff to handle the containers. “Once the platform expands, we would then visit a fully automated system.”

When I first started developing peace and justice education programs, I had to spend a lot of time exploring online to find resources. Nobody builds education programs, learning frameworks, or curriculum from scratch. We find what’s good. We adapt it. We build on it. We make it our own.   And there are tons of free resources out there to educate for peace and justice. But what we encounter is that while some are great, others suck, and sometimes finding what you’re looking for can be like finding a needle in a haystack.   But after 10+ years working freelance supporting all kinds of groups to develop these kinds of things, let’s just say that I’ve amassed quite the database of resources. And I figure there are plenty of teachers and educators out there who may not want to spend their Saturday nights scouring the Interweb in search of the perfect resource for next week’s lessons, or for building that curriculum framework, or whatevers.   So to save you some time, and also to tap you into some really great resources you may not have found otherwise, I spent a little time organizing my sh*t and posting it up here for you. Actually, it took me much longer than I expected, but hey, sharing is caring, right?  

How I have organized the resources

  100+ educational resources is a lot, so let me just give you a quick overview of how I’ve got all this stuff organized.   I’ve got three main sections:  

1. Peace education theory, frameworks, and strategic planning

2. Peace education programs with curriculum materials 3. Curriculum and training materials by theme   The largest section is the last one. Here are the sub-themes under the third section:  

• Peace and peacebuilding
• Deconstructing war and violence
• Intercultural and interfaith
• Anti-racism and anti-bias
• Social justice and activism
• Human rights and responsibilities
• Conflict transformation and nonviolent action
• Environment and sustainability
• Community engagement and social action

  Resources may include the following: planning guides, manuals, toolkits, curriculum guides, lesson plan packages, single lessons (only if they are outstanding!), packs of readings and texts, service-learning guides, action planning guides, etc. etc. etc.   Also, resource links may be direct downloads, a web page with information on the resource together with the download link, resource pages with multiple downloads, or lesson plan databases, etc. You have to enter your email to get the download on a few, and I indicate this where relevant.   Everything is available in English, and in cases where other languages are available, I have let you know.   Some resources are for global contexts, some for regional contexts, and others for specific country or cultural contexts. If it’s not clear in the resource title, I’ve tried to indicate it in the description. If you’re a genuine educator, then you know how to adapt resources as needed.   I’ve chosen only resources from websites that are complete (i.e. not a bunch of broken links on the site), where there’s no ploy to sell you something, and where websites seem like they will be around for a while. A few websites that had great resources were down at the time of writing, so I didn’t include them <sad face>.   If I’m missing any key resources, or if any great new resources come out, please let me know in the comments, and I can update this at a later date. I plan to update it yearly.  

100+ free education for peace (and justice) resources

  I’ve indicated 100 resources below and numbered each. I describe it as 100+ because some include links to multiple resources. Also, note that a few organizations have extensive databases covering some relevant themes, and so a few of these databases are referenced more than once with links to different themed collections within each. All in all, it’s over 100, and the 100 I’ve chosen to include are the best of the best.   Disclaimer: to the best of my knowledge, the resources I’ve included are free to distribute, and the information I wrote about them is accurate. If I’ve added any resource that shouldn’t be available for download or have misrepresented any item in any way, kindly let me know (in the comments or message), and I will take down or adjust as needed.  

Peace education theory, frameworks, and strategic planning

  Documents included in this section only represent peace education or are otherwise directly associated with peace. There are many frameworks for human rights education, anti-bias education, education for sustainable development, and otherwise. These are not included. Curriculum resources for these themes are included in a later section.   Some resources in this section also include teaching and learning activities.   1. Learning to Abolish War: Teaching Toward a Culture of Peace (2002) | by the Hague Appeal for Peace Global Campaign for Peace Education   A comprehensive 3-book packet including a theoretical overview, sample lessons, a teacher-training outline, and networking resources for peace education. Also in Russian, Arabic, Albanian, and French.   2. Peace Education: A Pathway to a Culture of Peace Third Edition (2019) | by The Center for Peace Education at Miriam College   A resource document that can be used to support educators to integrate peace education in classrooms, schools, and education systems.   3. Learning to Live Together: Design, monitoring and evaluation of education for life skills, citizenship, peace and human rights (2008) | by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ (formerly GTZ)   A comprehensive toolkit for design, monitoring and evaluation of peace education, human rights education, etc.   4. Designing Learning for Peace: Peace Education Competence Framework and Educational Guidelines (2016) | issued by Mainstreaming Peace Education Series, a co-operation of European civil society organizations   A competence framework developed to support formal and non-formal educators to develop Peace Education activities.   5. Community-based Institutes on Peace Education (CIPE) organizers manual: a peace education planning guide (2007) | by the International Institute on Peace Education   Guidance on planning, preparation and strategizing for community-based, non-formal peace education teacher training initiatives. Includes useful tools, activities, and examples.   6. Adolescents as Peacebuilders Toolkit (2016) | by UNICEF Adolescent Development and Participation Section   A package of guidance, tools and participatory activities for strategic planning and evaluation of peacebuilding programs. Integrates use of UNICEF’s Peacebuilding Competency-learning Framework.   7. Transformative pedagogy for peace-building: a guide for teachers (2017) | by The International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa   A guide for teachers on the why and how to educate for peacebuilding. Includes 20 experiential learning activities and practical tools to assess peace learning.   8. Peacebuilding in Divided Communities (2012) | by Karuna Center for Peacebuilding   A reflective learning guide with chapters on conflict analysis, peacebuilding interventions, intercommunal dialogue, social healing and reconciliation, preparing peacebuilding facilitators, and creating learning communities. 47 training activities included. Also available in Arabic.   9. Building Peace Together: a practical resource (2018) | by the Quaker Council for European Affairs   A reference document that provides chapter by chapter information about how peacebuilders can operate across a range of sectors from education, to healthcare, to arts, to business. Also available in French, Russian, Arabic and Turkish.   10. Learning to Live Together: Building Skills, Values and Attitudes for the Twenty-first Century (2004) | by UNESCO International Bureau of Education   A review of educational frameworks and initiatives associated with the theme of ‘learning to live together.’   11. Reflecting on Peace Practice (RPP) Basics: A Resource Manual (2016) | by CDA Collaborative Learning Projects   Guidance on applying CDA’s approach to conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding. Includes useful tools and facilitation resources for conflict analysis and peacebuilding strategic planning.   12. Peace Education in UNICEF (1999) | by UNICEF   An old-school working paper assessing how Peace Education programs in UNICEF can use a range of children’s educational experiences to promote peace and social justice.   13. Manual for Colleges & Universities Developing Programs in Peace & Conflict Studies (2018) | by Conflict Studies Collaborative   A “how to” handbook to assist colleges and universities to build peace and conflict studies programs.  

Comprehensive programs with peace-learning curriculum

Resources in this section are explicitly about peace or peacebuilding. Each tends to follow its own unique framework that includes a mix of themes.   14. Peace Education Course (2016) | by Berghof Foundation and the Tehran Peace Museum   A training manual covering essential concepts, topics and methods of peace education. The modules are: 1) peace and peace education; 2) violence and violence prevention; 3) conflict and conflict transformation; and 4) global citizenship. If you like this, there is another one by Berghof Foundation called the Peace Counts Learning Manual.   15. Learning the Way of Peace: a Teachers Guide to Peace Education (2001) | by UNESCO New Delhi and Regional Bureau for Communication and Information in Asia and the Pacific   A teacher’s guide to introduce Peace Education to schools in South Asia. Offers guidance on how to integrate peace education into curriculum, presents a Peace Education framework with numerous activities on each of the framework’s ten themes.   16. Making Peace Where I Live (MAPWIL) (2008) | independently developed by a group of Peace Educators in the United States   A teacher resource for a project designed for young people to meet peacebuilders in their own communities. Includes reflective learning and action-learning activities.   17. Peace Education Training Manual (2015) | for Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) Southeast Asia   A training manual on the fundamentals of Peace Education. Sections cover: 1) a holistic understanding of peace and violence; 2) purpose and key themes of peace education; 3) the attributes of a peace educator; and 4) pointers for peace advocacy.   18. Peace Education Program Curriculum | by Teachers Without Borders   The curriculum is intended to support teachers worldwide in integrating peace education into their classrooms, schools, and communities.   19. Learning to live together in peace and harmony: values education for peace, human rights, democracy and sustainable development for the Asia-Pacific Region (1998)| by UNESCO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific   A sourcebook for teacher education and tertiary level education with sample lesson plans on peace, human rights, democracy and sustainable development.   20. The Inter-agency Peace Education Programme (PEP) materials (2005) | UNHCR, UNESCO, Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies   An early Peace Education collaboration designed for learners in both formal and non-formal education. Documents compiled after the ten years of program implementation. Includes program coordination manuals, teacher training and facilitator manuals, activity books, etc. Also in French and Arabic.   21. Adolescent Kit for Expression and Innovation | by UNICEF Adolescent Development and Participation Section   A package of resources designed to create opportunities for young people in conflict-affected contexts to develop knowledge and skills to build peace, built using UNICEF’s Peacebuilding Competency-learning Framework. It includes multiple downloads found in two sections: 1) an ‘activity box’ with nearly 100 participatory activities; and 2) resources (i.e. guidance for program planning, implementation, and facilitation)  

Curriculum and training materials by theme

Some of the links are full downloadable curriculum packages with many activities, some are single lesson plans for outstanding activities, some are classroom handouts and resources, and others link to websites that have numerous lesson-plans available for individual download. A few are reading materials that could be used to form a full curriculum, or links to websites with downloadable handouts and classroom materials.   Themes:  

• Peace and peacebuilding
• Deconstructing war and violence
• Intercultural and interfaith
• Anti-racism and anti-bias
• Social justice and activism
• Human rights and responsibilities
• Conflict transformation and nonviolent action
• Environment and sustainability
• Community engagement and social action

  Note that personal peace is not included. This topic is often included in peace education programs and thus the above section includes teaching-learning resources on this theme, however, there are few resources on this theme solely so it’s not included. Most relevant resources on this cover social-emotional learning, but don’t explicitly address ‘personal peace.’   Gender is often a theme is peace education programs, but is not included in its own section. Most gender resources just focus on gender based violence, but don’t deconstruct deeper roots of violence intertwined with gender norms. There are a few gender-focused resources present in other themes and many resources here integrate gender.     Peace and peacebuilding   22. Peace Lessons from Around the World by the Hague Appeal for Peace produced in Cooperation with Global Campaign for Peace Education   Peace lessons from around the world compiled by leading peace educators from around the world. Themes covered include roots of war, culture of peace, international humanitarian and human rights law and institutions, conflict, disarmament, and human security.   23. Peacebuilding Toolkit for Educators: A resource for middle school and high school classrooms | by the United States Institute for Peace   A curriculum guide to help teachers incorporate themes of conflict, violence, and peacebuilding into the classroom, to help students develop skills and capacities to act as peacebuilders. It includes a middle school version and a high school version. The website also provides additional lessons and activities to supplement the toolkit, or to be used independently. Also in Spanish, French and Arabic.   24. Women in Peacebuilding: Resource and Training Manual (2004) | by the West African Network for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation Program at Eastern Mennonite University   A training manual that covers peacebuilding topics with a focus on how being female impacts peacebuilding. It was designed for women who want to help themselves or other women become more involved in peacebuilding. Includes 32 teaching-learning sessions and some guidance on planning peacebuilding workshops for women.   25. Peace Study Guide | by National Peace Academy   A study guide on peace and peacebuilding for children and youth. Includes a teacher guide and separate curriculum guides for children and youth. Includes 12 weekly sessions that follow NPA’s holistic peace learning framework.   26. The Building Blocks of Peace | by the Institute for Economics and Peace   A series of teaching modules that offer teachers and students a fresh perspective on issues surrounding global peace. Four modules include: 1) Understanding Peace; 2) Peace and Sustainability; 3) Education and Peace; and 4) Economics and Peace.   27. Teach Peace Pack | by Peace Education Network (UK) and produced by Quakers in Britain   Includes activities and resources on peace and peacemaking for ages 5 to 12. Additional teaching resources by Quakers in Britain available HERE.   28. Ceeds Toolkit | from Ceeds of Peace   An online database of teaching and learning activities for peace in the self, peace with others and peace in the community. Activities cover learning on ‘The 7 Ceeds’: critical thinking, courage, conflict resolution, compassion, commitment, collaboration, and connection.   29. Better World Heroes printable handouts | from BetterWorld.net   A comprehensive database with friendly handouts and information on over 1000 peace heroes! Also has calendar of historic events and holidays associated with peace, and a quote database by theme.   30. Adapted Sport Manual | by Peace and Sport   A manual of educational information sheets showing how to adapt sports activities to be more cooperative and support peace learning. Includes sections on 20 sports including rugby, wrestling, judo, cricket, boxing, basketball and others, as well as a range of adapted running, throwing and jumping activities. Also in French and Spanish.   31. Resources for educators | on Heart-Mind Online developed by the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education   A collection of learning resources to support the Heart-Mind well-being of children, and promote their positive social and emotional development.     Deconstructing war and violence   32. Bombs and Budgets: Tools for Reclaiming Communities from Militarism | by War Resisters League   Interactive workshops that explore how organizing against federal military spending can forward local campaigns for economic justice.   33. Something is Wrong: Exploring the Roots of Youth Violence | by Project Nia   A comprehensive workshop series to explore multi-dimensional root causes of youth violence. Includes exploration of oppression and inequality, analyzes types of violence encountered by young people, shares information about art and activism, and provides guidance for youth-led research and organizing.   34. “You Can’t Tear Us Apart” — A Workshop on Militarism and Tear Gas | by War Resisters League   An interactive workshop that explores how local communities are impacted by militarism and what they might do about it locally and around the world.   35. Study Guides and Simulations | by the United States Institute for Peace   Numerous study guides briefly summarize the key issues surrounding a particular theme related to international conflict and peace. Each study guide includes a glossary, discussion questions and activities, and a list of readings and multimedia resources. Simulations challenge students to explore approaches to resolve deep-rooted conflicts around the world including in Cambodia, Colombia, Northern Ireland, Kashmir, Sri Lanka, the Horn of Africa, Israel-Palestine, among others.   36. Buy 10 Guns, Get 2 Tanks Free: A Workshop on Resisting Police Militarization | by War Resisters League   A two hour participatory workshop where participants learn about the weapons industry and war profiteering, discussing how communities are impacted by police militarization, analyzing root causes of police militarization, and engaging in building coalitions to resist police militarization.   37. Making a Killing: An Arms Deal Simulation and Training | by Amnesty International   A classroom simulation of an arms deal designed for high school age students. It aims to develop students’ understanding of the role of the arms trade in facilitating human rights abuses, and of the complexity of bringing the trade under control.   38. Wars and Related Anti-War Movements Teaching Activities | by Zinn Education Project   Within the Zinn Education Project database are a collection of activities on the theme of wars and related anti-war movements. Lesson plans can be browsed and downloaded individually. Email entry required. Another relevant search option is on the theme of imperialism.   39. Evolution of a Global Peace System Study Guide | by War Prevention Initiative   A study guide with discussions and activities designed to reinforce and expand upon the ideas presented in the “Evolution of a Global Peace System” short documentary.   40. Gender Matters: A manual on addressing gender-based violence affecting young people | by the Council of Europe   A manual for education on gender and gender-based violence for people who work with young people. Includes extensive background and methodological information along with 16 participatory activities. European context, but themes an be adapted to other contexts.     Intercultural and interfaith   41. Learning to Live Together: An Intercultural and Interfaith Programme for Ethics Education (2008) | by Arigatou International   Learning to Live Together is an interfaith and intercultural program for ethics education that contributes to nurturing ethical values in children and young people. Includes nearly 50 interactive activities along with stories, poems, prayers for peace, and other learning resources. Also in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Swahili, and Romanian.   42. All Different, All Equal: Education Pack | by the Council of Europe   An education pack designed to help young people understand the causes of racism and intolerance, to learn to value differences between people, and encourage them to take action. Includes 40+ participatory activities. Text examples from Europe, though the concepts are broadly applicable.   43. “ …Say Peace” — Islamic Perspectives on Peace and Conflict Resolution: Teaching and Training Manual | by Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences (GSISS) in Leesburg, Virginia   A training manual for university-level courses and training workshops on conflict analysis and resolution, with a focus on Islamic perspectives.   44. Teaching Respect and Empathy lesson library | by Yes! Magazine for Teachers   From the lesson library of Yes! Magazine, lesson plans and teaching resources on the theme of respect and empathy can be accessed individually. 34 lessons available on this theme at the time of writing.   45. Stories and Lesson Plans library | by Global Oneness Project   A database of humanistic stories that highlight universal themes of climate change, poverty, endangered cultures, migration, sustainability, and others. Stories are presented as articles, interviews, videos, photo essays and in other formats, and many have accompanying lesson plans. The curriculum resources are also available in Spanish.   46. Mission Inclusion: Stories and Practices of Building a World Where All Belong | by The Barefoot Guide Connection   A reflective learning book about building inclusive societies, written by 34 practitioners from 16 different countries on all continents. It contains a variety of stories, analyses, and ideas, with many poems, and illustrations exploring themes of exclusion and marginalization while exploring creative, innovative and workable solutions. Also in French and Kiswahili. More translations may be produced in the near future.   47. Looking at Ourselves and Others | by the Peace Corps   A book of lesson plans and activities that look at assumptions and values that shape cultural perspectives. Covers the multifaceted nature of culture and shared values across cultures. Includes analytical tools to combat stereotypical thinking and enhance cross-cultural communication ability. Written for Peace Corps workers from the United States.   48. Culture Matters | by the Peace Corps   A cross cultural workbook to promote understanding of culture and social relationships, and to support reader/participant to adjust to and learn from different cultures. Designed for independent study, but can be used for training and facilitation.   49. Religion in Conflict and Peacebuilding | by United States Institute of Peace   An analysis guide written for people who are working to address violent conflicts in which religion plays a part a role or can aid in peacebuilding. It provides guidance on how to understand the religious dimensions of conflict and take them into consideration in peacebuilding.     Anti-racism and anti-bias   50. Critical Practices for Anti-bias Education | on Teaching Tolerance   A manual for teachers with guidance, tips and culturally sensitive strategies for bringing anti-bias education into the classroom. Includes a road map for anti-bias education at every stage of K–12 instruction.   51. Domino: A manual to use peer group education as a means to fight racism, xenophobia, anti-semitism and intolerance (2004) | by the Council of Europe   A guide for setting up anti-bias peer group education programs in formal and informal educational settings. Includes extensive ‘how to’ of peer group setup and operation as well as 14 practical participatory activities.   52. Curriculum for White Americans to Educate Themselves on Race and Racism–from Ferguson to Charleston | on Citizenship and Social Justice   A collection of short readings prepared for self-study, but can be easily integrated into learning programs. Organized into three main sections: 1) reading Articles Written Specifically for White Americans; 2) Understanding Whiteness, White Privilege, Microaggressions, and a History of Racial Discrimination; and 3) Parenting Racially-Conscious Children.   53. Helping Children Resist Bias and Hate: Program Activity Guide | by Partners Against Hate   A guide that provides individuals working with elementary school age children with the necessary tools and strategies to engage them in constructive discussions and activities about the causes and effects of prejudice and bias-motivated behavior, and to intervene, when needed, with children who engage in such behavior. Includes 28 participatory activities.   54. Building Community and Combating Hate: Lessons for the Middle School Classroom | by Partners Against Hate   This resource is a compilation of 10 lesson plans exploring four themes focused on: 1) interpersonal communication/conflict resolution; 2) the escalation of hate and violence; 3) the consequences of scapegoating and bias in history; and 4) the rights, challenges, and responsibilities of living in a democracy.   55. ThinkB4YouSpeak Educator’s Guide: For Discussing and Addressing Anti-Gay Language among Teens | by GLSEN   A guide for educators and others who work with teens to learn about the negative consequences of homophobic language and anti-LGBT bias. Includes discussion questions for exploring and analyzing video, audio, and print ads followed by six educational activities that increase awareness and knowledge of the issues, develop skills for addressing them and promote social action. English language and US focused, but can be adapted to other languages/contexts.   56. Classroom Resources | on Teaching Tolerance   A database of free educational resources on social justice and anti-bias for educators who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Includes individual lessons, learning plans, short reading texts, and other resources.   57. Educator Resources database | at Facing History and Ourselves   A database on classroom resources that address racism, antisemitism, and prejudice at pivotal moments in history. All resources help students learn about hatred and bigotry so they can stop them from happening in the future.   58. Racism and Racial Identity Teaching Activities | by Zinn Education Project   Within the Zinn Education Project database are a collection of activities on the theme of racism and racial identity. Lesson plans can be browsed and downloaded individually. Email entry required. Another relevant search option is on the themes of civil rights movements, slavery and resistance, and social class.     Social justice and activism   59. Standing Together: Coming Out for Racial Justice | by Basic Rights Education Fund   An anti-racist organizational development toolkit for LGBTQI equality groups and activists. Contains reading texts, lesson plans, handouts, worksheets, and other resources covering learning on the intersection between LGBTQI and racial justice.   60. WE CAN! Taking Action against Hate Speech through Counter and Alternative Narratives (2017) | by the Council of Europe   A guidance manual to develop counter and alternative narratives to combat hate speech and promote human rights, especially in online environments. The manual proposes a set of online and offline communication and educational approaches, provides tools to undermine hate speech narratives, and presents a step-by-step alternative/counter narrative planning guide.   61. Resistance 101: A Lesson on Social Justice Activists and Strategies | by Teaching for Change   A introductory lesson about social justice activists throughout US history, together with a creative simulation interact with one another as social justice activists. US context, but with some work can be recreated for other contexts or for global contexts. Email registration required.   62. The Abolitionist Toolkit | by Critical Resistance   A toolkit for U.S.-based community organizers working to abolish the prison-industrial complex. Includes general information sheet, strategies for talking about and planning for abolitionist work, practical exercises and group activities, and ideas about alternatives to the prison industrial complex.   63. Ten Ways to Fight Hate | by Southern Poverty Law Center   A guide for effectively and peacefully taking a stand against bigotry. It sets out 10 principles for taking action, including how to respond to a hate rally that has targeted your town.   64. Stop Law Enforcement Violence Against Women of Color and Trans People of Color Toolkit | by INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence   A toolkit for activists and organizers that explores the critical intersection of gender violence and state violence. Includes organizing tools and strategies, fact sheets, ideas for organizing, and sample tools created by other organizations.   65. Teaching Social Justice lesson library| by Yes! Magazine for Teachers   From the lesson library of Yes! Magazine, lesson plans and teaching resources on the theme of social justice can be accessed individually. 41 lessons available on this theme at the time of writing. Includes tough topics discussion guides like anti-blackness, transgender rights, migrant caravans, mass incarceration, gentrification, decolonization, school shootings, etc.     Human rights and responsibilities   66. The Human Rights Education Handbook (2000) | by the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota and The Stanley Foundation   A manual that’s intended to help people who care about human rights to become effective educators for human rights. It lays out the basics of why, for whom, what, where, who, and how of human rights education and provides 23 participatory activities.   67. Compasito: Manual on Human Rights Education for Children (2009) | by the Council of Europe   A comprehensive manual on human rights education for children with background information, guidance, and 40 participatory activities. Includes appendices with child-friendly versions of major human rights declarations and conventions.   68. Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World | by Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights   A curriculum that introduces human rights issues through the stories of 36 remarkable people working in the field, and urges students to become personally involved in the protection of human rights. Each section contains a written story, participatory activities, and supplemental resources.   69. Popular Education for Human Rights: 24 Participatory Exercises for Facilitators and Teachers | by Human Rights Education Associates (HREA)   A trainer’s guide for human rights activists designed for non-formal education with 24 participatory activities covering a range of human rights themes.   70. Write for Rights 2018 — A Human Rights Education Toolkit | by Amnesty International   A toolkit was created to support teachers’ participation with their students in the human rights writing campaign. Participants learn about human rights principles and issues, then have an opportunity to take action by writing advocacy letters to persons in authority positions, and letters of solidarity to victims of human rights abuses. Also in French and Spanish.   71. Right Here, Right Now: Teaching Citizenship Through Human Rights (2009) | by the British Institute of Human Rights   A resource book of 12 lesson plans made for teachers in the UK who want to explore with their students the role of human rights in our day to day lives.   72. Our World, Our Rights: Teaching About Rights and Responsibilities in the Elementary School (2000) | by Amnesty International   A handbook for elementary school teachers with guidance on planning human rights-based lessons along with numerous resources and activities for use in the classroom. Not intended to be used as a single program, but to be incorporated into different lessons across the curriculum.   73. Human Rights Teacher Training | by Norwegian Refugee Council   A three day training module to raise awareness on Human Rights through information about the UN system and UN Declarations and Conventions. The training covers prejudice and stereotypes,, conflict and conflict management, and reconciliation.   74. Human Rights Temperature Card (1999) | by San Antonio Peace Center   A fun card for students, teachers, or anyone looking to take the human rights ‘temperature’ of their school. It’s based on principles laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.     Conflict transformation and nonviolent action   75. Class of Nonviolence | by the Center for Teaching Peace   An eight-session class that uses classics in peace and justice literature to teach peacemaking. The readings in this resource are really great!   76. 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action (1973) and other resources | by The Albert Einstein Institute   This is a foundational resource on nonviolent action by the late nonviolence scholar Dr. Gene Sharp. In addition, a wide array of free nonviolence publications are available to download on the website, in over 35 languages. There are also free downloads of relevant books like How Nonviolent Struggle Works, Making the Abolition of War a Realistic Goal, On Strategic Nonviolent Conflict, and The Role of Power in Nonviolent Struggle, among many others are available for download HERE.   77. Nonviolent Conflict Transformation — Training Manual (2006) | by The Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR)   A manual with information and practical exercises for understanding and applying principles of nonviolent conflict transformation. Chapters on understanding conflict, conflict analysis, conflict transformation, reconciliation, designing interventions, taking action, etc. Also in Italian and Slovak.   78. Conflict Styles Assessment | by the United States Institute for Peace   A simple quiz to help you learn your style of managing conflict.   79. Conflict Analysis Framework: Field Guidelines and Procedures (2017) | by the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)   A framework and practical guidelines to conduct a conflict analysis. Includes process guidance, activities, tools, and templates.   80. Conflict Transformation by Peaceful Means (the Transcend Method) (2000) | by TRANSCEND International   A manual outlining peace scholar Johan Galtung’s original method of conflict transformation. The manual presents models and practical exercises on conflict, violence, dialogue, conflict transformation, and other topics.   81. CANVAS Core Curriculum: A Guide to Effective Nonviolent Struggle (2007) | by the Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS)   A nonviolent action curriculum that combines classic insights about nonviolent conflict with new ideas and practical resources based on experiences of nonviolent action in Serbian context. Further, supplementary resources on strategic nonviolent action have been produced by CANVAS in recent years, including Handbook for Working with Activists and Nonviolent Struggle: 50 Crucial Points. Resources available in English, Serbian, and other languages. Creative presentation and design.   82. Training Manual for Nonviolent Defense Against the Coup d’État (2011) | by Nonviolence International   A two-day training workshop to prepare for rapid nonviolent response in the event of a Coup d’Etat. Should be given before any suspected coup takes place.   83. The Path of Most Resistance: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Nonviolent Campaigns | by the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict   A practical guide for activists and organizers of all levels, who wish to grow their nonviolent resistance activities into a more strategic, fixed-term campaign. It guides readers through the campaign planning process, breaking it down into several steps and providing tools, lesson plans, and exercises for each step. Also in Catalan, French, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Spanish. 84. Teaching Restorative Practices with Classroom Circles | by Center for Restorative Process   A manual outlining a unique, holistic approach to transforming conflict through dialogue in classroom and group settings.   Environment and sustainability   85. Big Ideas: Linking Food, Culture, Health, and the Environment | by the Center for Eco-literacy in Partnership with National Geographic   A teaching resource with K-12 age appropriate activities to help students understand the relationship between our dominant food systems and societal issues, and to equip them with strategies for creating systems that better serve people, communities, and the natural environment.   86. Designing a Resilient Community | by the Center for Eco-literacy   A project-based learning activity for high school level in which students assess their community’s ability to respond to crises and develop ideas for making it more resilient.   87. Food for the Sol: A Food, Justice, and Community Building Curriculum for Youth (2010) | by Seeds of Solidarity Education Center   A curriculum to promote youth leadership in the community food movement. Experiential activities cover topics relevant to food, health, justice, and sustainability and are designed to build community, fostering positive communication, compassion, inquiry, and self-confidence.   88. Climate Justice Teaching Activities| by Zinn Education Project   Within the Zinn Education Project database are a collection of activities on the theme of climate justice. Lesson plans can be browsed and downloaded individually. Email entry required.   89. Changing Climate: A Guide for Teaching Cimate Change in Grades 3 to 8 | by National Geographic   A guide to educate youth about climate change and climate solutions. Provides teachers with background information on climate change in an accessible and reader-friendly manner, plus teaching tips and guiding questions that help bring climate change discussion into the classroom.   90. Classroom Resources Database | by National Geographic   An extensive database of lesson plans, activities, infographics, videos, and reference resources searchable by keyword, resource type, grade level, and subject. It’s recommended to review the collections by theme. Collections include Human Impact on the Environment, Climate Change, and many others.   91. Needs and Wants Activity | by the Center for Eco-literacy   A simple, fun activity to help participants distinguish between personal needs and wants, to consider how things are used or wasted, and to reflect on what’s needed to live a healthy and happy life.   92. Teaching Sustainability lesson library| by Yes! Magazine for Teachers   From the lesson library of Yes! Magazine, lesson plans and teaching resources on the theme of sustainability, environment, and climate change can be accessed individually. 40 lessons available on this theme at the time of writing.   93. The TerraCycle Curriculum Lesson Sets | by the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education   Three curriculum sets on sustainable development organized and downloadable by grade level (K-2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12). Set 1 is on how the waste of one living system is food for another, and promoting sustainability human production and waste systems. Set 2 covers promoting the health of air, oceans, and even playgrounds that are shared and used by all. Set 3 explores how we can be part of the solution to the challenge of zero waste.   94. Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide | by Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies   A collection of over 80 lesson plans, handouts and other learning resources to help students learn how to think, not what to think, about wildlife and the environment. Additional activity guides are available on the theme of fish and oceans from the Aquatic Wild project, on birds from the Flying Wild project, and for younger children from the Growing Up Wild project.     Community engagement and social action   95. Community Toolbox | by the Center for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas.   The Community Tool Box is a free, online resource for those working to build healthier communities and bring about social change. It offers thousands of pages of tips and tools for taking action in communities, including over 300 educational modules and other free tools. Also in Spanish, Arabic, and Farsi.   96. Active Citizens facilitator’s toolkit (2017) | by the British Council   A massive toolkit created to help facilitators worldwide to design and deliver a social leadership program that promotes intercultural dialogue and social responsibility as key leadership competencies. Over 80 activities cover themes of identity and culture, intercultural dialogue, local and global communities, planning and delivering social action.   97. Exploring the Real Work of Social Change | by The Barefoot Guide Connection   A reflective learning book about social change practices from many countries, written as a collaborative effort by social change leaders from around the world. It contains a variety of stories, analyses, and ideas, with many poems, and illustrations exploring the theme: “What is the real work of social change?” Also in French.   98. Roots & Shoots Formula Toolkit by Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots   A toolkit the Roots & Shoots 4-step formula for identifying and implementing a service campaign to empower youth to use their voices and actions to make compassionate decisions, influencing and leading change in their communities.   99. Service-Learning Lesson Plans and Projects: Human Rights Resources for Educators (2007) | by Human Rights Education Associates and Amnesty International   A manual designed to guide educators to teach about human rights through service-learning. Contains guidance and over 20 human rights education and service-learning lesson plans, on topics including children’s rights, discrimination, and poverty.   100. Service Learning Toolkit | by National Geographic   Inspired by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, this toolkit gives students in Grades 5–12 an opportunity to see how their own interests can be turned into action, empowering them to recognize their own roles in effecting change. Includes resources for planning and implementation of service learning opportunities for students, families, and communities.     For those readers who are quite into this topic, it’s worth noting that you should check out the Global Campaign for Peace Education. Sign up for the monthly newsletter to stay plugged in. I have no affiliation with them. I just think they’re great, and they’re really the go-to source and community for peace education news, views, research, policy, resources, programs, and events worldwide.     100+ BONUS RESOURCE: 198 Actions for Peace | on Everyday Peacebuilding   This one created by me. A handout mapping creative actions to build peace along 5 domains: a peaceful life, peaceful relationships, peace in spaces and places, a culture of peace, and peace infrastructure. Email entry required for download.

Do you have MEGA Bloks at home that the kids have outgrown?  If you’ve started Spring Cleaning and noticed that your child has outgrown some of their MEGA toys you’re going to like this!   Spring cleaning just got easier.  I love hearing about companies going green and MEGA Bloks has just done that! MEGA partnered with international recycling leader TerraCycle® to recycle used Mega Bloks®, Mega ConstruxTM, and other non-electronic MEGATM toys to create new products in Canada.  Pretty awesome right?   But how is it done and what can you do? The process is easy and convenient: consumers can sign up online on the TerraCycle program page linked here and mail their items using a prepaid shipping label that can be printed at home.   Once collected, all blocks and bricks are cleaned and melted into a hard plastic that can be remolded and remade into new, evergreen products in Canada. What can be made out of a well-loved MEGA product?   The well-loved MEGA products can be recycled into all sorts of plastic products like lumber for decking, watering cans, playgrounds, picnic tables, park benches and flower pots, just to name a few. TerraCycle is an innovative waste management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste. Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers and cities to recycle products and packages. TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic, into their products and packaging. What are some new plant-based products MEGA? All the plant-based blocks in this line are made from a minimum of 90% bio-based materials.  The plastic used in our plant-based blocks is made from ethanol extracted from sugarcane, a 100% renewable material. As part of this line, all products come in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified packaging this is fully recyclable. For more information on how MEGA is being sustainable please visit this link. We were gifted this adorable set called Safari friends and Polar Friends.  The perfect gift to give as it’s just the right size for little hands.  They’ll have fun mixing and matching bloks in old school fun. I love MEGA Bloks for my kids as it’s a nice break from electronics.  I like seeing their creativity too and when they are done and as the seasons change and when they grow out I can simply recycle thanks to their new program with TerraCycle.   Where to buy?  Head over here to MasterMind. 

With so many people now wearing disposable latex and vinyl gloves to protect their hands, you might wonder: Are the gloves reusable or recyclable? First, they are not reusable. They are designed for single-use wear and can actually spread germs if improperly handled or reused. Second, they are recyclable, but with a catch. The company TerraCycle offers a collection box you can purchase and fill up with gloves for recycling. The box is shipped to TerraCycle, where the gloves are sorted to be made into new products.

A car seat recycling deal with a major retailer helped boost TerraCycle’s recovered commodity sales by over $3.5 million last year, according to a financial report.   That was just one takeaway from a recent financial filing from the Trenton, N.J.-based company, which specializes in recycling hard-to-recycle materials, mostly plastics. TerraCycle recently released its annual report covering 2019.   In 2019, the company’s net sales were $27.12 million, up 35% from 2018, according to the report. Its net income was $3.24 million, up from $1.15 million in 2018.   TerraCycle has four different divisions through which it brings in revenue. The following are the year-over-year results for each division:   Sponsored Waste Programs: Brand owners pay TerraCycle to establish and operate nationwide collection programs for those companies’ products and/or packaging.  

• Net sales: $9.36 million
• Sales change from 2018: +33%
• Income (before taxes): $3.82 million
• Income change from 2018: +47%

  Zero Waste Boxes: Consumers purchase postage-paid boxes and mail products to TerraCycle for recycling.  

• Net sales: $6.15 million
• Sales change from 2018: +70%
• Income (before taxes): $1.26 million
• Income change from 2018: +119%

  Regulated Waste: This division helps consumers recycle streams such as fluorescent lamps, bulbs, batteries, scrap electronics, organic waste, medical waste and others.  

• Net sales: $6.79 million
• Sales change from 2018: -5%
• Income (before taxes): $58,000
• Income change from 2018: -65%

  Material Sales: This division generates revenue by selling recovered commodities collected through the Sponsored Waste and Zero Waste Boxes programs – most commonly combinations of HDPE/PET and PE/PP – to manufacturers. Usually, TerraCycle retains ownership of the plastic until it is processed into pellets by a third-party company, at which point TerraCycle sells the pellets to a manufacturer. The pellets often go into plastic lumber or containers. In rare cases, TerraCycle sells the scrap to a reclaimer. For example, it has sold Akshar Plastic, one of its major contracted processors, certain PP and PE blends.  

• Net sales: $5.81 million
• Sales change from 2018: +156%
• Income (before taxes): Loss of $377,000
• Income change from 2018: Improved from loss of $1.33 million in 2018

Other key report takeaways

  Car seat event impacts: Net sales for the Material Sales division were so much higher in 2019 because of a one-time deal with a major retailer to recycle car seats. TerraCycle didn’t identify the retailer in its annual report, but it previously said recycled car seats were collected at about 4,000 Walmart stores in 2019. According to USA Today, Walmart ended its first-ever car seat trade-in event early because of overwhelming response. TerraCycle’s annual report disclosed the car seat event brought TerraCycle 8.5 million pounds of baby car seats for recycling.   Marine plastics sales: TerraCycle’s report noted the reliance on commodity values means the Material Sales division traditionally generates lower margins than the others, which have more unique product offerings that can be priced at a premium. However, TerraCycle also manages the recycling of rigid marine plastics, which can then be sold at a premium. Through its three-year-old partnership with Procter & Gamble, the brand owner uses recycled marine plastics in a number of its packages. In 2019, TerraCycle sold 35 tons of recycled marine plastics, generating about $600,000 in revenue. “Given the premium price that P&G and others have committed to pay for these beach plastics, our parent company and we are able to finance multi-country collections and invest in personnel to manage the complex supply chain,” according to TerraCycle’s report.   Top buyers of recycled plastic: The top buyers of TerraCycle’s recovered plastics in 2019 were Atlanta-based Nexus Fuels, which uses a pyrolysis technology to break the material down into chemicals; Akshar Plastic, a Bloomington, Ill. plastics reclaimer and compounder; and Ultra-Poly Corporation, a Pennsylvania plastics reclaimer with a capacity of over 170 million pounds per year.   COVID-19 impacts: TerraCycle applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program loan, one of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs intended to help businesses survive the economic shutdown from the coronavirus pandemic. About $750,000 of the loan will be used to cover payroll, in addition to rent on the Illinois office and various warehouses, interest on the Trenton building mortgage, and utilities. “During March and April, we have experienced a short-term decrease in collections of waste,” the company stated. “We anticipate that we will continue to experience decreases in collections while states continue to have shelter-in-place and similar requirements limiting activities. However, we are hoping to mitigate that longer-term by incentivizing collectors to continue collecting now and to amass inventories of recyclables to position us well for when schools and offices reopen.”