In Toronto, a unique initiative at the Toronto Tzu Chi Academy is transforming discarded milk bags into essential floor mats for those in need, embodying both environmental stewardship and compassionate aid. For over three years, students, teachers, and volunteers have collaborated on this project, which not only diverts waste from landfills but also provides warmth and comfort to homeless individuals in Canada and survivors of natural disasters abroad.
A community effort for the environment
Environmental education is a cornerstone of Tzu Chi's humanistic curriculum. Under the guidance of former principal May-Jane Shaw (邵美珍) and current principal Jiin-Fen Tseng (曾錦芬), the Toronto Tzu Chi Academy has actively encouraged students to collect milk bags, implementing a reward system to reinforce the concept of "clean at the source" environmental protection. What began with a modest collection has now blossomed into a school-wide movement, with a significant increase in collected milk bags.
Initially, adult volunteers primarily handled the weaving of these mats. However, Julia Chang (張素雯), the Tzu Chi volunteer coordinating the milk bag mat weaving in Eastern Canada, encouraged children to join, demonstrating that this environmental endeavor is accessible to all ages, from five to eighty. Since the 2023 academic year, students from summer camps to regular classes have moved beyond just collecting, actively participating in the weaving process during their two-hour school sessions, cutting and connecting the milk bags with enthusiasm.
Weaving across generations
On a snowy November 30th, volunteers at the Toronto Tzu Chi Academy were busy clearing snow and salting pathways, preparing for a day filled with activities, including a Tzu Chi singing competition and the milk bag mat weaving event. Despite the busy schedule, Shun-Chih Lin (林舜之) and Julia Chang, the main coordinators for the weaving project, ensured the activity proceeded. They understood that the flexible nature of the weaving — allowing participants to join and leave as needed — meant the effort could continue with collective support.
LEFT: Eighty-year-old June Tseng easily picked up the skill of connecting milk bags, demonstrating her sharp mind. RIGHT: Tzu Chi volunteer Ming-Che Wu (吳明哲) found joy in cutting milk bags for the first time and took materials home to continue the work. | Photos: Julia Chang
Even volunteers like June Tseng (李俊貞), who usually manage the recycling points where collected milk bags are received, joined the weaving for the first time. At over eighty years old, she quickly grasped the technique, delighted to be part of the team. Similarly, Ming-Che Wu (吳明哲), initially an observer, became engrossed in cutting milk bags. He enjoyed it so much that, being retired, he borrowed materials to continue the work at home, promising to supply cut bags for future weaving sessions.
As students moved between classrooms and the auditorium for the singing competition, many paused at the weaving area, observing the transformation of milk bags into floor mats. This visual experience allowed them to understand the collective effort required to create a single mat. During breaks, several middle school students, drawn by the colorful milk bags, also joined the volunteers, quickly learning to weave and finding joy in the process.
Mats of warmth and hope
The milk bag mat weaving project, while rooted in environmental principles, carries a deeper message of love and care. Julia Chang shared that ten mats were recently donated to the Milk Bag Association, joining over two hundred other floor mats to be shipped to Jamaica to aid survivors of Hurricane Melisa. This tangible impact reinforces the value of every volunteer's contribution, whether for five minutes or several hours.
LEFT: Julia Chang demonstrates how to connect milk bags to interested students. | Photo: Ling-Yu Chou RIGHT: A mother and son duo from Toronto join the milk bag mat weaving, exemplifying the best in educational role modeling. | Photo: Julia Chang
Nghia Van Luong (譚文義), a volunteer with limited dexterity in his hands, actively participated in weaving the second half of a mat, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to helping others. Together with Chang, they completed a mat approximately 175 centimeters long. These mats serve a vital purpose, providing insulation from the cold for homeless individuals in northern regions and offering a clean sleeping surface for disaster survivors.
Expanding the circle of goodness
Tsai-Feng Hsu (許彩鳳), Deputy Director of the Toronto Economic and Cultural Center, visited the weaving area after attending the singing competition. Guided by Principal Tseng, she learned about the Toronto milk bag weaving team. Impressed by the meaningful activity, Deputy Director Hsu expressed her intention to promote the initiative within the Toronto overseas Chinese community, hoping to encourage more participation in collecting and weaving milk bags to give back to the local community. This ripple effect of kindness has even extended to Central America.
LEFT: Deputy Director Hsu (right) was deeply impressed by Tzu Chi's milk bag mat weaving project and plans to promote it within the Toronto overseas Chinese community. RIGHT: Young volunteers join the milk bag mat weaving after the singing competition. | Photos: Shun-Chih Lin
The milk bag weaving initiative promoted by Tzu Chi in Eastern Canada is an activity that engages people of all ages, from young children to the elderly. It transcends simple environmentalism, becoming a heartfelt expression of care. By integrating environmental concepts into daily life and transforming waste into valuable resources, this project beautifully combines environmental protection with charitable action, offering an invaluable humanistic education for children and a source of comfort for those in need.
Written by Julia Chang (張素雯)
