The 4th General Lyceum of Alexandroupolis is launching a focused action plan titled “The Circular Classroom: Rethink, Repair, Recycle”, beginning during the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) 2025 (November 22-30, 2025) and culminating in Spring 2026. This comprehensive initiative targets clothes, books, toys, and small household items to promote circular economy practices within the school community. Our strategy is built upon three core EWWR themes: Strict avoidance and reduction at source, achieved through awareness campaigns and the conscious act of donating; Waste sorting and recycling, ensuring proper collection of non-reusable materials; and most significantly, Reuse and preparing for reuse, which is central to our hands-on approach. The initial phase involves awareness-raising, forming an Action Team, and collecting unwanted items in designated school areas during the EWWR.

The main objective is to move beyond simple disposal by maximizing the lifespan of objects. From December 2025 to March 2026, the project will host “Second Life Workshops” (Upcycling & Repair). Students will actively repair, mend (e.g., using patchwork techniques), and repurpose collected goods, thus preparing them for their next use and embodying the principle of circularity. The action will climax in Spring 2026 with a public “Reuse Market” (Swap & Sale), where repaired and transformed items will be sold symbolically or exchanged, completing the reuse cycle and showcasing the results of our efforts to the wider community. This long-term project aims to establish lasting habits of waste reduction and conscious consumption among students.