At Monroe Middle School, seventh-grade students have been studying issues related to Consumption. Students examined topics such as fossil fuels, recycling and food waste. Students were then challenged to explain how these topics could relate to their lives as seventh graders in Monroe. They could choose from several options; such as writing a persuasive essay, designing a brochure, writing and producing a commercial using makerspace technology, and writing a letter to the Monroe Times. Each of these projects had a common thread - increasing the effect that 12- to 13-year-old students can have on our community.

By Brooke Hanson

Parents: Eric and Michelle Hanson

In my 7th grade social studies class, we are learning about consumption. It is important to learn about consumption, because it happens in our everyday lives. Consumption is how much every person consumes, whether it be buying clothes or just eating food.

Americans waste about 300 lbs. per year. It is important to know this so that way we can see how much we really waste. Some ways we can prevent wasting all this food is to not fill our plates so full, or buy so many groceries, you forget that you got some until it’s too late and you have to throw them out. We like seeing full refrigerators and plates, but we really don’t need that much. Next time you’re buying groceries, or filling your plate, think, am I really going to eat that much? As for clothing, it takes a lot of cotton or other materials to make things, and sometimes when we buy it, it just ends up hanging in our closet. When we see stuff and think, oh that’s cute, we usually end up buying it. Then when we get home we will only wear it once or twice and then forget about it. So when walking past a shirt you like think, do I really need this, or, how often am I going to wear this.  So when you see something on sale, or see packaging that makes the food seem good, think, do you really need that. It’s a simple question that could reduce our waste.