I always get at least one barf comment when I do it in a classroom.

Of the amount of garbage that goes into the landfill, nearly 50 percent of that is paper. It's insane.

She got a really good grade.

It puts in a little cotton fiber and a little bit of color.

You do this stuff in your own life and you figure out what kind of difference it makes. It's like the old cliche: Think globally, act locally. I try to leave the classroom with kids (or seniors) feeling they have the power to make a difference.

I was lucky to grow up with parents who just did that. Nothing was thrown away until it was completely spent.