#SustainableSunday with Maika Goods...

I don't often take photos inside, but for this week's #SustainableSunday post, I absolutely had to. You see, I was sent this adorable new lunch tote from Maika Goods, so naturally, photographing it in my windowless classroom seemed like a natural fit. Mmm hmmm... aside from writing here and connecting y'all to the best sustainable and ethical brands I can find, I am a full-time middle school special education teacher.

In school, I'm big on promoting awareness of self and awareness of the world, and I like to think that instead of teaching the curriculum, I'm teaching the student. I spend a lot of time challenging my students to think about the planet and their roles within it. My "Be the Change" wall is a tool that I use to do just this. Periodically as a warm up activity, I ask my students thought-provoking questions (i.e. "If I could teach someone else something that I'm really good at, what would I teach?", "What is the biggest issue you think society is facing today?", etc.) and have them answer these questions on scrap paper. This often turns into some truly wonderful organic discussion about what is going on in the world and the little steps that each individual can take to solve big problems.

The biggest issues that students see the planet faced with are bullying, suicide, and littering. While the fact that they have awareness of these issues in a world where the youth of today is often sucked into mindless Snapchats and TikToks is wonderful, I've found that these kids struggle to dig more deeply into them to have a positive impact on the world around them. It is with this in mind that I am often extra proud to wear and own products that help people and leave a minimal footprint on the earth's resources. My female students, especially, will comment on the clothes and accessories that I wear to work each day, and I love to talk to them about how they are made, who makes them, and why these garments are kinder for the planet than, say, things that come from a place like Wal-Mart.

All of that being said, this week I've branched out a bit from simply having sustainable clothing and jewelry to wear to school. I've got a new and sustainable lunch tote from Maika Goods! This super happy floral print was hand-drawn in their California studio and was then transferred onto recycled canvas. It was made sustainably and 1% of quarterly profits are donated back to worthy charitable causes. I love this little lunch tote because it is absolutely delightful to look at, easily fits everything that I'd need to bring to school for lunch with me, it is simple to clean, and it was made from fabric that has been given a new life, thereby decreasing the need for the production of a ton of new fabric.

When I go back to work in 2 weeks, I will happily show off my new Maika bag with the hope that it will create more awareness that what we choose to own can make the world a better place!