The Art of Caring: Why Environmental Stewardship is an Act of Love

I recently left my daughter’s school after spending lunchtime observing an incredible system that the faculty—teachers, administrators, and custodians—created in collaboration with the RI Schools Recycling Project and the Scituate Sustainability Committee. Together, they’ve implemented a process where students separate their trash, recycling, and food scraps in the cafeteria.

This school holds a special place in my heart. It’s not only where my daughter learns and grows today, but also where my mother walked these same halls in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Seeing this intergenerational connection reminded me how deeply rooted our care for each other and our environment can be.

When I returned to my desk, I came across a video of LeVar Burton reflecting on his National Endowment for the Humanities Medal. He said something that struck a chord: "Humanity is meant to thrive and flourish, and that doesn't happen without context."

Burton’s words resonated deeply, reminding me why I am compelled to explore the human side of environmental challenges. The arts and humanities give us context for understanding ourselves and our place in the world. Conservation psychology, my own field, seeks to understand what motivates people to act on behalf of the environment—how we find meaning and connection through seemingly small choices.

Watching those students sort their waste, I was reminded that even small acts can hold profound meaning. In Rhode Island, K-12 schools generate approximately 5 million pounds of food waste annually. This translates to about 13.7 tons of food waste each school day. By implementing waste separation systems, schools can significantly reduce this environmental burden.

Separating food scraps from trash might seem insignificant, but it’s actually an act of love. It’s a simple way for students to care for each other and the world they share by protecting the natural environment. It’s about more than waste—it’s about fostering responsibility, empathy, and a sense of interconnectedness.

When we teach young people to care for the planet, we’re also teaching them to care for their communities and themselves. This kind of stewardship offers a crucial context for humanity’s flourishing: a shared understanding that we thrive when we protect and nurture the world around us.

Environmental stewardship is a vessel for love, community, and connection. It provides the context that allows humanity to flourish—just as the arts and humanities do.

For more information about how you can get involved, check out the RI Schools Recycling website. RI School Recycling Project | Help us prevent school food waste!