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Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (R3) are the three essential components of environmentally-responsible consumer behavior. R3 is sometimes called the waste hierarchy.

The concept behind the first R: Reduce, is that you should limit the number of purchases that you make in the first place. For example, turning off the lights and taking shorter showers,

The concept behind the second R: Reuse, is that you should reuse items as much as possible before replacing them. For example, it generally makes more environmental sense to update your computer rather than get rid of it and buy a new one. However, if you do replace your computer, you should ensure that it, or its components, are reused. Many charitable organizations welcome donations of second-hand computers.

The concept behind the third R: Recycle, is that you should ensure that items or their components are put to some new purpose as much as possible. If your computer is not fit for reuse as is, you can donate it to one of several organizations which will refurbish it or recycle its components.

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10 Great Recycling Projects for Schools

• Written By: Saman Shoaib
• Last Updated: July 31, 2023

12 Activities for Teaching About Recycling

• Freebies , Planning , Science , Seasonal

If you’re looking for recycling activities, you’ve landed in the right place! Whether it be for Earth Day, a natural resources unit, or for National Recycling Week in November, I have you covered. Check out these really cool and engaging activities you can do in your upper elementary classroom.

Activities for Teaching About Recycling

1.) Make Recycled Paper. Break students up into small groups and provide the groups with one page of a newspaper. Have each group tear that page up into small pieces. Have students place those small pieces into an aluminum pan with water and soak for 10 minutes. The water should cover the paper. Next, mix 1/4 c of water with 1/8 c of corn starch (per piece of newspaper) until the corn starch dissolves. In a blender, place the torn-up paper and the cornstarch mixture and run on high for 2 minutes. When finished, pour the mixture on to a screen that is over the aluminum pan. Spread the mixture evenly so it is thin and flat. Cover it with wax paper and roll it out flat to squeeze out any extra water. Remove the wax paper, if desired, (I left mine on the wax paper to dry) and let it dry completely for a few days. You’ve just made recycled paper.

2.) Have a Gallery Walk. Walk around the room exploring things that could be recycled or different types of recyclables.

3.) Trashtown. Introduce students to Trashtown. It’s a town that doesn’t have a recycling program and all their trash is building up. In teams, students develop a plan to start and run a recycling program in their town.

4.) Recyclable Inventions. Have each student bring in 4 recyclables and/or 4 nonrecyclables. Have them create an invention for them. Read the book (aff. link) A Pig’s Tale by Olivia Newton-John. I would read this first to set the scene because it discusses where the trash comes from, the consequences of it, and useful ways to reduce trash. Then you can simply tell students they are going to come up with a useful way to use their “trash.”

5.) 3 R’s Triangle. This recycling activity is similar to those triangle fact cards. In part of the arrow, you will see one of the three R-words, recycle, reuse, or reduce. In the part of the arrow that it is pointing to, have students either illustrate that term, define that term, or describe one way they are doing that. (See the image below.) For extra fun, you can print these on light blue or green paper.

6.) Collect Lunch Waste. Together as a class collect lunch waste in a trash bag. Weigh it on a scale by first weighing a student and then weighing the student holding the bag. Then find the difference between the two to determine the weight of the bag. Carefully spread out the trash and discuss the different types of recyclables and alternatives. Challenge students to reduce their lunch waste.

7.) Create a Packaging Hall of Shame. Look for products with excessive packaging. Gather and bring to school. Set up a display and brainstorm ways to reduce waste. Then discuss ways to reuse some of the excess packagings. For extra writing practice, have students write letters to the manufacturers with suggestions on how they can reduce some of this waste.

8.) Take a Field Trip to a Recycling Center. I remember doing this in 4th grade when I was a kid. It was magical to me. As small as it seems, it will be magical to them too!

9.) Bring in “Trash” to Sort. Collect trash (food, paper, plastic, metal, glass, misc. and subcategories) to carefully sort into piles of reusables, recyclables, and nonrecyclables. Then, calculate the total mass of a group of items and explain the cause and effect relationship on the environment of accumulating solid waste. (This would also be a great time to discuss proper hand-washing techniques and the effect of germs .)

10.) Create a Recycled Animal Zoo. Have students collect items such as milk jugs, laundry containers, or the like and create a recycled animal. Bring in craft items such as hot glue, scissors, googly eyes, garbage ties, paints, and pipe cleaners to help students create their creatures. Have them give their animal a description and how it reduces trash in the landfill. For instance, maybe “laundretta” is a crunching-munching clothes eating monster that keeps old clothes from filling up the landfill.

11.) Create graphs. Have students track items commonly recycled and/or reused at their home. This could be things like newspapers, aluminum cans, plastics, glass, tin, cardboard, magazines, clothing, and so on. Once everyone has created their own individual graph, create a class one. You can also create a graph of all the paper you recycle as a class each day.

12.) Create a recycling superhero. Why not have your students create their own superhero. Who doesn’t love that idea? They can take features from any superheroes that already exist, such as Superman, Spiderman, Aquaman, and so on. But the main goal of the superhero is he has to fight the crime of trash piling up in their city. Have them illustrate the superhero and then create a comic strip or story surrounding how this superhero saved the day! Make sure they include recycling, reusing, and reducing! One way they can do this is by having three villains and each one doesn’t want to do one of the three R’s.

I’m sure with twelve different ideas here, you’re bound to find something that will engage your students and help them understand the three R’s! If you loved these ideas, check out my store where you can find resources with similar creativity! Don’t forget to grab your Free Recycling Triangles!

• 3R's , recycling , reducing , reusing

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Teaching about Recycling in the Classroom

I love teaching young people about recycling. It is a simple action that students of every age can take to help people, animals, and the environment. And even though recycling is far from being a panacea for all our environmental problems, it is an excellent way to teach students to be conscious about where the materials they use come from and where they end up when they are disposed of.

Teach About the Benefits of Recycling

Whenever I try to promote a certain behavior, I start by explaining why it is important. I tell students how recycling prevents items from going to landfills, reduces our use of natural resources, and reduces pollution during the process of extracting and creating new materials.

For younger students, I often focus on recycling paper because students use a lot of it in elementary school. I explain how paper comes from cutting down trees and that when they recycle paper, it is turned into new paper. This means that fewer trees are cut down to make new paper. Then I will read the book The Great Kapok Tree , by Lynne Cherry, which explains how people and animals both benefit from trees and why we should protect them. For middle school students, HEART’s Justice for All resource guide has a lesson about trees titled “Tree Protectors” that can be used instead.

How Recycling Works

I have found that students are often curious about how recycling works. As educators, we can use that curiosity to craft engaging lessons that provide real-world connections to STEM. I like to use videos to teach this information, and luckily, there are plenty of free videos online about how recycling works ( this is my favorite). Before showing students a video on this topic, I explain that tons of paper, plastic, metal, and glass need to be separated at the “materials recycling facilities.” Then I ask students to brainstorm how the facilities might quickly separate these materials. Sometimes I give them some clues. For example, I will ask if there is something they are familiar with that would quickly pull out any metals from the recycling (i.e. a magnet). After they discuss the topic, we watch the video and find out how MRFs actually do it.

Recycling can also be connected to a lesson on the three states of matter (i.e., solid, liquid, and gas). Items such as metal, glass, and plastic are melted during the recycling process. For example, when a plastic water bottle is recycled, it is changed from a solid to a liquid and then back to a solid. When workers recycle plastic, they need to be careful not to get the plastic too hot because it will turn into a gas, which they cannot use. There is even a children’s book titled The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle , by Alison Inches, that explains the process.

Explain What Can and Cannot be Recycled

Knowing what you can and cannot recycle is often confusing. The rules differ depending on where you live and they can often change. One tool that can be helpful is the website Recycle By City , which lists the items that can be recycled in several large cities in the United States. If your city is not included on this website, this information is often on your local government’s website.

Once you know what you can and cannot recycle in your area, you can share this information with your students. There are a couple of ways that I like to teach this information. For primary-aged students, I explain how they can recycle disposable metal, glass, plastic, and paper. I bring in examples of each type of item from these four categories and discuss how they are similar and different. For example, I explain how both plastic and glass are often clear, but glass is hard and plastic is usually more flexible.

For older students, I play a game where they get in small groups or pairs. Then I give each group pictures of different items, and they have to guess whether the item can be recycled. After they categorize all the items as “can recycle” or “cannot recycle,” I explain the answers. Another way I teach this information is by playing a relay race. I print and laminate photos of things that they can and cannot recycle. Then I have the students line up in two groups on one side, and I put the photos on the other side. One at a time, a student from each team runs to find a photo of one thing they can recycle and then runs back.

After teaching this information, I have the students make posters for their classroom or home that show what they can and cannot recycle. This helps students apply what they learned and provides a helpful tool to remind them what they can put in the recycling bin.

Make Recycling Accessible for Everyone

One more important message that I teach students about recycling is that we need to make it more accessible. To teach this message, I explain to students that I have a list of the top five reasons why people do not recycle, but before I show it to them, I ask them to turn to their neighbors and guess what they are. After they discuss this question and share with the group, I show them this graph . Students are often surprised to find out that the main reasons people do not recycle are not because they “don’t care” or “are lazy”, but because they do not have access to recycling or because they have to pay money to recycle. Then we will discuss ways we change these systems so that recycling is free and accessible for everyone.

These are some of the ways I like to teach about recycling. If you have any additional ideas or resources, please leave them in the comment section below.

2 thoughts on “Teaching about Recycling in the Classroom”

I teach kids about recycling using a game called “Recycling Relay Race” We set an organics bin, blue bin (containers), grey bin (paper) and a garbage can. The class is divided into 2 teams, each person is given an item that may or not be recyclable, the 2 teams race against each other to decide where the items is properly disposed of. Then they race back to the beginning. Once everyone has had at least 2 turns we go through the bins and discuss with the students some of the items where put in the wrong bin and discuss where they should have gone.

Thanks for sharing this game, Christina!

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Recycling Activities For Middle School: Crafts, Experiments, Challenges, And DIYs

February 21, 2024 //  by  Lesa M.K. Bullins, EdS

Recycling is an important concern to be brought to the attention of all of the younger generation; however, middle-school-aged students are at a prime time in their lives to engage in worthwhile projects that impact the greater society. Peruse our collection of 35+ ideas to get inspired on how to best introduce them to the concept of the three R’s- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Then, break out your favorites and implore them to get stuck into making our world a better place one step and a time! 

1. Recreate Famous Structures

Whether it’s during an exploration of world geography or an art class, your students can participate in recycling. Depending on the space available, invite your learners to create several small-scale versions of world-famous structures. Get started by checking out an idea for the Eiffel Tower and others below.

Learn More: KC Edventures

2. Create a Cityscape

Help your middle schoolers bring your city to life by engaging in an art project that requires that they piece together a small-scale version. They can create their cityscape by using brown paper bags, cardboard, and other recycled materials. As they build, have them create various recognizable city structures or buildings

Learn More: Harbor Creative Arts

3. Paper Plane Race

Your students could easily recycle paper by creating unique paper planes. This hands-on activity is sure to get everyone excited about recycling! Enhance the activity by having your pupils research how to make their plane more aerodynamic; either using the best recycled papers or designs to create the fastest models. Finish the project with a race to test speed, recyclability, and creativity. 

Learn More: Pinterest

4. DIY Derby Racing

Recycling doesn’t have to stop at planes. Your students can also consider aerodynamics and other aspects of physics when designing table-top-sized derby cars from assorted recyclable materials. Get the recycling program on the fast track with this idea!

Learn More: Craftulate

5. Make use of Resources

Your students can work together to create a school recycling center that will allow various materials to be collected, reused, or even recreated. Get creative with the recycling bins, prompting your middle schoolers to create new materials by utilizing materials from the resource center. For instance, they can learn to create recycled paper from shredded old paper or crayons from old melted crayons for the ultimate green experience.

Learn More: Kinder Craze

6. Create Fashionistas

Help your kiddos tap into their unique style with this creative fashion project! To begin, collect materials by having your students bring in their own items that they no longer use or collect donations from others in the school and community. Your students can then design costumes or new fashion accessories; exploring new ways to recycle old clothing into something cool!

Learn More: The Artful Parent

7. Add to the Elementary Library

Turn the act of recycling into a creative book-making session by locating a hole punch, paper bags, ribbon, scrap paper, and markers. Challenge your students to create exciting stories for their friends! This could be an exercise in writing and art for the teens as well!

Learn More: Kitchen Table Classroom

8. Create Puzzles 

Have your middle or high school students create puzzles and games from recycled materials to donate to local preschools or even early elementary classrooms. They can cut out shapes from different materials and textiles for younger students to put back together to solve their puzzles. This recycling campaign is sure to bring about joyful learning and foster a greater sense of community between peers.

Learn More: Barley and Birch

9. Pencil Holders for Desks

Why not create themed pencil holders for your classroom? It’s a great way to use up materials while also letting your students personalize their desks. Check out these simple, yet adorable Ninja Turtle pencil holders to get those creative ideas flowing.

Learn More: Jeddah Mom

10. Upscale Mother’s Day

Try a recycling-based Mother’s Day craft by letting your learners come up with unique craft ideas. See what they can design with some string and plastic caps. Suncatchers? Necklaces? The world is their oyster and one thing’s certain- their mothers are bound to love whatever they choose to bring to life! 

Learn More: Projects With Kids

11. Don’t Forget Dad

Have your students create something for Father’s Day as a great way to end the school year. Try having them paint old cars or collectibles and attach them to recycled glass or plastic jars for green-based organizing. Tie the gift together by inviting your kiddos to fill the jars with their Dad’s favorite sweet treats.

Learn More: Recycled Crafts

12. Bring in the Wildlife

Here’s another hands-on recycling project for your students who enjoy bird-watching. Have them create bird houses or feeders to attract feathered friends that they can then better observe. 

Learn More: Natural Beach Living

13. Create Cool Bags

Have any fashionistas in your class? This activity is perfect for them! Your students can learn to create purses, wallets, backpacks, and other useful bags for their school supplies by melting various candy wrappers. You won’t need many new materials to make these recycled accessories new again. Grab some closures, like zippers or buttons, and let the crafting begin! 

14. Create Bowls or Baskets

Bring art to life for your middle school students by helping them make recycled baskets and bowls. To prepare, have them collect old paper, plastic, wrapping paper, magazines or anything else that they can find that’ll lay flat enough to glue together into fun new shapes. Once complete, your pupils can even sell their new designs in a recycling campaign to fund school field trips or much-needed improvement projects.

Learn More: Instructables

15. Make Board Games

Here, your students can recycle, have fun, and enjoy creating a new game by building their own board game with recycled materials. The final result could then be used as part of revision activities by requiring your learners to integrate concepts from different classes by placing questions in the blocks of their game board. 

Learn More: Hands On As We Grow

16. Make Music

Your students can create musical instruments and start a school band with this unique recycling project. Using an empty cereal box, a few large rubber bands, glue, and a long cylinder, they can easily craft a guitar! Challenge them to utilize other recyclables to see how many other instruments can be brought to life.

Learn More: Crafts by Courtney

17. Start a Garden

This one’s for all your eager green thumbs! Recycled materials can be used to start a composting and school gardening project! Help them plant seeds in empty egg cartons and nurture them each day to bring new sprouts to life.

Learn More: Babble Dabble Do

18. Make a Vase for The Flowers

Recyclables can be turned into beautiful, functional vases! Help your pupils join and decorate assorted pots and tins before adding some personal flair to their vase design using paint and paper scraps. Once complete, they can plant their seedlings grown in the aforementioned activity.

19. Decorate for the Holidays

Christmas is a great opportunity for your students to begin a recycling campaign. Your students can use simple recycled materials such as leftover tin cans and pipe cleaners to make these cute Christmas tree decorations as well as other kinds of holiday decor that can be used to make the classroom a festive space!

20. Make a Marble Run

Your middle school students will have a blast making marble runs using only recycled materials. They can work in groups to construct the run before putting them to the test hosting races. This can be a fun way to learn about physics, the properties of inertia, technology, engineering, and math while also relying on the use of recycled materials.

Learn More: Super Make It

21. Recycled Book Character Day

Help your middle schoolers get into the holiday spirit with Book Character Day for Halloween or Christmas. To do so, they can craft their own costumes using cardboard boxes! Once each learner has a costume, get the whole class to work together and create a play. 

22. Harness the Wind

Here’s an idea to spruce up your school garden! Your students can create beautiful wind chimes and sun catchers using old CDs, non-washable markers, and fishing line. Proudly display the finished products in your classroom or playground.

Learn More: Happy Hooligans

23. Create Fidgets

We can’t think of an age group that isn’t hooked by fidget toys! Help your pupils use recycled items to create a unique spinning toy such as the mandala-type type CDs seen above.

Learn More: Word Rocks

24. Write and Create a “How to”

Your students can exercise their writing skills as they detail the “How to” of all of their recycled projects in a cool journal. They’ll need to create their “themed” object and then write a clear instructional guide teaching someone else how to complete it.

Learn More: The Literacy Loft Shop

25. Cook Out in the Sun

Get your pupils hyped about recycling by using old materials to bring about a tasty snack! Better yet- with this idea, they’ll also discover more about solar energy.

Learn More: Home Science Tools

26. Self-Checking Math Centers

Use old bottle caps to create great self-checking math tools that your kiddos can use to conduct a fun review of previously learned material. This idea isn’t only functional for math, but also for a variety of subjects. It’s essentially a new take on flash cards- just using recycled materials!

Learn More: Flapjack Education

27. STEM Centers

Focus on recycling in your class with STEM centers. This requires the use of a variety of recycled items as well as a ton of your students’ creativity. Have each learner choose a card and piece together the STEM idea listed thereon. Use the cards found here or come up with your own!

Learn More: Science Demo Guy

28. Create a Coaster Park

Your middle schoolers will love tapping into engineering by using paper plates, straws, bottles, and other recyclable materials to design their very own roller coasters. You can have THEM use different materials to create different kinds of coasters with unique names. Perhaps you can invite the younger grades to check out the coaster park and trial the completed designs! 

Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

29. Design a Bird’s Nest

Keep science interesting with a unique recycling project in your classroom. Have your students design and test a bird’s nest. They’ll simply need to use limited recyclable materials to create a nest that’s sturdy enough to support the weight of an egg.

Learn More: Momgineer

30. Make a Selfie

A great activity is to have your students use recycled items to create a self-portrait! Break out the inner artist by bringing cubist-style selfies from concept to life. Let’s see what wondrous designs they make use of!

Learn More: YouTube

31. Construct a Miniature Greenhouse

Encourage your students to embark on a botanical adventure with the added benefit of it being a great recycling project. Guide them in creating their very own miniature greenhouses from recyclable materials such as old plastic cups. They’ll be intertwining botany and recycling; building small thriving ecosystems. What a hands-on way to explore life in a tangible form!

Learn More: Handmade Home

32. Create a Recycled Art Gallery

We love art with a message! Lead your students in crafting pieces of art entirely from recycled materials. Display their works at the school to spark conversations regarding environmental awareness. It’s more than art; it’s a conversation starter about our planet.

Learn More: Art Attack Curtner

33. Craft Miniature Boats for Racing

Challenge your students to engineer small boats using recycled items. This can be a friendly competition where learning about buoyancy and force becomes a delightful game. All aboard for learning and fun!

Learn More: Instru c tables

34. Produce a Stop-Motion Animation

Animation magic can be a part of your classroom! Your students can simply create characters and sets from recycled materials and then bring them to life through stop-motion animation. Lights, camera, action!

35. Fabricate Eco-Friendly Furniture

Spark creativity by having your students design furniture from wooden pallets or other recycled materials. In doing so, they’ll explore sustainability, and craft something that’s both beautiful and functional.

36. Build a School Maze

Mazes and learning intertwine with this unique recycling project! Your students can sconstruct a life-sized maze from recycled materials to develop their  teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity!

37. Design a Miniature Golf Course

Tee off for education and fun with this next idea! Let your students build a miniature golf course using a few recycled materials: cereal boxes, pipes, cardboard, and recycled paper. Physics, engineering, and recycling are sure to blend into an engaging school-wide event. 

Learn More: Kix Cereal

38. Craft a Water Filtration System

Teach your middle schoolers about the importance of recycling and water filtration with this next project! Help them to simply piece together assorted recyclables and natural elements to craft a working water filtration system. 

Learn More: Pinnguaq

39. Construct Recycled Science Kits

Invite your students to create science kits from recycled materials for younger learners. Knowledge, recycling, and community come together. It’s an educational gift that keeps on giving!

Learn More: Special Needs Resources

• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Improve Recycling and Reduce Waste in Your School

Last Updated: June 9, 2021 References

This article was co-authored by Kathryn Kellogg . Kathryn Kellogg is the founder of goingzerowaste.com, a lifestyle website dedicated to breaking eco-friendly living down into a simple step-by-step process with lots of positivity and love. She's the author of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste and spokesperson for plastic-free living for National Geographic. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 9,757 times.

Recycling is a super important part of being a responsible citizen—it’s how we can reduce waste, improve air quality, and help take care of the earth. Schools are prime locations for recycling programs—just think about how much paper they use and how many meals they serve daily! Get everyone involved that you can—students, faculty, administration, and parents—and develop a plan that will challenge and benefit your school (and the earth) for the better!

Implementing and Expanding Programs

• At the end of the day, gather all the trash (don’t neglect the classrooms, bathrooms, cafeteria, or outdoor spaces).
• Have an adult go through the bags first to remove any sharp or dangerous objects.
• Sort the waste into piles by category: white paper, colored paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, glass, and food waste.
• Weigh the amount of each category, or put all the waste into garbage bags and count how many bags you have in each category.
• Record your findings.
• Set a goal to reduce waste by a certain amount. For example, decide to start a paper recycling program to reduce the amount of paper thrown out by half.

• To avoid putting too much on one person, consider having a small team made of teachers and staff members who will help support the recycling coordinator.

• Put the recycling bins next to trash cans. That way, students can make the appropriate choice when they go to throw something out.
• Check with your local recycling program to see what kinds of recyclables go together. For example, some areas might let you collect paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles together in the same bin. Others might want all those categories to be separate.
• Make a plan for how often to empty the bins and who will be responsible for that.

• Grass clippings from lawn maintenance can also go into the compost.
• Avoid putting things like meat, oil, cooking grease, and bones into the compost.

• Create a fun rewards program for students who bring in batteries. For example, they could get points for each battery they bring in, and so many points could earn them special privileges or a small prize.

• Remember to promote the event several weeks ahead of time. Put up signs and flyers (or send electronic flyers to cut down on paper use), have students make chalk signs on the walkways, have announcements made over the PA system, and send emails home to parents.
• Partner with a local electronics store and bring all the recyclables to them after the drive. Many companies have programs specifically designed for schools.

• Get your students involved whenever possible! Ask them for their ideas about how to make your school better at recycling. You’ll be surprised at how many great ideas they come up with.

• If your recycling program is new, or if you’re trying something different, don’t be discouraged if it takes a little time to get started. Just keep at it and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Training and Education

• Put colorful signs on each bin labeling what goes into it, like “WHITE PAPER ONLY,” “COLORED PAPER AND CARDBOARD,” “PLASTIC BOTTLES (NO CAPS PLEASE),” or “FOOD SCRAPS.”
• Have students make a video about the recycling rules to share with each class.
• Hold a school assembly to talk about the new recycling program.
• Have the recycling coordinator go around to talk to each class and give a recycling demonstration.

• Ask students to come up with 3 questions to ask on the trip. This will help them be more engaged.

• Check out resources from the United States Environmental Protection Agency at https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reduce-reuse-recycle-resources-students-and-educators .

• These programs are designed to be fun, entertaining, and interactive.
• Your local recycling facility might have someone on their team who makes trips to schools. Give them a call to see if that’s an option for you!
• If having someone come to your class isn’t an option, go virtual! There are many great videos online that help teach kids about recycling that you can stream for free.

Waste-Reduction Ideas

• Keep a bin of scrap paper near your desk that students can access whenever they need.

• Talk to the administration about making this practice mandatory for the entire school. It could make a massive difference in how your school operates.

• Using compostable or reusable materials decreases how much waste your school sends to the landfill each week.

• Even old books, as long as they’re in good shape, can be donated to your local library or education-based nonprofits.

• Set an example for your students by going as waste-free as possible yourself! Bring your coffee in a to-go mug, pack lunch in a reusable bag, and ditch the plastic straws.

• Depending on your school’s capabilities, you might even be able to go entirely (or almost entirely) paperless.

Groups and Events

• Students can set up recycling programs, pitch new green ideas to the school, and raise awareness about the importance of recycling.
• In addition to the students, get a teacher, custodian, and person from the administration. Parents might also be interested in participating.

• You could count instead of weighing things like plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Paper goods should be weighed, though; otherwise, it would take a long time to count each piece of paper!

• If there’s a green group at the school, let them pick the event's focus.
• April 22nd is Earth Day—this could be a great day to host your special event each year.

• Search online or talk to your administration about different programs you can get involved in.

Expert Q&A

• Get students, parents, and faculty involved in your recycling programs. The more people participating, the better success you’ll have! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Check with the school board to see what kinds of programs have worked in other schools. You might be inspired to try something new! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Environment%20and%20greener%20living/ID%20WasteAudit%20291209%20ER.pdf
• ↑ https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Eco-schools/40956.ashx
• ↑ https://kingcounty.gov/~/media/depts/dnrp/solid-waste/elementary-school/documents/improve.ashx?la=en
• ↑ http://www.therockpile.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/OhioStateFact-Composting.pdf
• ↑ Kathryn Kellogg. Sustainability Specialist. Expert Interview. 28 June 2020.
• ↑ https://www.gov.je/Environment/GreenerLifestyles/GreenerSchools/Pages/QuickGuide.aspx
• ↑ https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/600009UZ.PDF?Dockey=600009UZ.PDF
• ↑ https://thegreenteam.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Starting_a_School_Recycling_Program_(1).pdf
• ↑ https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/w-hhw1-12.pdf
• ↑ https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/es/TTT_Complete_Aug2013.pdf
• ↑ http://lessismore.org/materials/23-school-recycling/
• ↑ https://www.monroecounty.gov/files/DES/education/tools%20to%20reduce%20waste%20in%20schools%20EPA.pdf
• ↑ http://www.hamiltoncountyrecycles.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3788196/File/EnvironmentalServices/SolidWaste/Schools/Reducing%20Waste/WasteFreeLunch.pdf
• ↑ http://www.hamiltoncountyrecycles.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=6463011&pageId=6528441

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Your cart is empty, 19 activities for kids to learn about recycling, 1. build a robot..

Don’t throw away the cardboard boxes and yogurt containers! Build a robot with these materials.

2. Make seed paper.

Do this instead of tossing shredded paper in the bin.

3. Play a game.

Play games to help kids practice which items can be recycled, and which are waste.

4. Make a bird feeder .

This is one of those activities that demonstrates how much cheaper it is to use recycled materials than to buy something brand new.

5. Paint the symbol.

Practice recognizing this symbol through art. This way, kids can easily identify recycling bins out in public.

6. Make recycling bins for the home.

Making small bins that can be kept indoors allows kids the chance to easily sort the garbage.

7. Try an online game.

There are a few online games where kids can practice recycling in a fun way, like this one .

8. Pack a waste-free lunch.

Use a recycled container in lieu of items in bags. More ideas for a waste-free lunch here .

9. Read the facts.

Recycling 1 ton of paper can save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 2 barrels of oil, and 4,000 kilowatts of electricity. The energy that you save can power 1 home for 5 months.

10. Watch a video.

A short, kid-friendly video can really drive the point home.

11. Go on a recycling scavenger hunt.

Head out to a local park and see how much you can collect from the environment that can be recycled! Got competitive kids? Make it a race.

This book list is full of books you can grab from the library and read with your kids.

13. Make a DIY toy.

Before recycling items, try to repurpose them. A milk jug or a yogurt container can make for really fun ball poppers for kids.

14. Turn newspaper into building rods.

Check out these amazing play structures and tents made from newspaper!

15. Homemade puzzles.

Instead of throwing away greeting cards, cut them up and make a homemade puzzle. Cereal boxes are great for this, as well.

16. Donate toys and clothes.

Instead of throwing away toys your kids are done playing with, help them choose some to be donated and reused by other children.

17. Take a field trip!

Head out to a local recycling center and watch a bit of the process happen.

18. Spearhead a recycling club.

Help your child start a local initiative in their neighborhood or school.

19. Homemade wind chimes.

String and paint old tin cans to make a nice piece of outdoor musical decor.

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A Going Green Guide

Creating a Successful School Recycling Program: A Step-by-Step Guide

You want to make a difference in your school and contribute to a more sustainable future. But where do you start? How do you create a successful school recycling program that actually works? Don't worry, we've got you covered.

In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the process of establishing and implementing a recycling program in your school. From identifying your goals to engaging the school community, we will provide you with the tools and strategies you need to make your recycling program a success.

So, if you're ready to take action and make a positive impact, let's get started.

Table of Contents

Identify Your School's Recycling Goals

To begin the process of identifying your school's recycling goals, assess the current waste management practices and determine areas for improvement. By evaluating the existing strategies and systems in place, you can understand the strengths and weaknesses of your school's recycling efforts. Look at the types of waste generated, the volume of recycling versus landfill waste, and the efficiency of collection and sorting methods. This assessment will help you identify the specific goals you want to achieve in your recycling program.

Once you have assessed the current practices, it's time to set objectives for your school's recycling goals. These objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Examples of SMART objectives could include increasing the recycling rate by a certain percentage within a specific timeframe, reducing the amount of recyclable materials ending up in the landfill, or implementing a comprehensive education program to raise awareness and encourage participation.

When setting goals and objectives, involve key stakeholders such as students, teachers, staff, and administrators. Their input and support are vital for the success of your recycling program. By involving everyone in the process, you can ensure that the goals are realistic, aligned with the school's values, and have the necessary resources and commitment to be achieved.

Regularly review and reassess your goals to track progress and make adjustments as needed.

Assess Available Resources and Support

Now that you have identified your school's recycling goals, it's important to assess the available resources and support to ensure successful implementation of your program.

Start by assessing the resources you currently have within your school. Take inventory of the recycling bins, collection containers, and any other equipment needed for the program. Determine if you have enough resources to accommodate the anticipated volume of recyclables. If not, consider purchasing additional bins or reaching out to local recycling organizations for assistance.

Next, evaluate the support you have from the school community. Seek support from teachers, staff, and students who can help in promoting and maintaining the recycling program. Identify individuals who are passionate about recycling and can take on leadership roles. Having a committed team can greatly contribute to the success of your program.

Additionally, reach out to external organizations and agencies that can provide further support. Local recycling centers or waste management companies might offer educational resources, training materials, or even financial assistance to help establish and sustain your program.

Establish a Recycling Team or Committee

Now that you've assessed the available resources and support for your school recycling program, it's time to establish a recycling team or committee.

Forming a team involves identifying individuals who are passionate about sustainability and willing to take on specific roles and responsibilities. These team members will play a crucial role in implementing and managing the recycling program, ensuring its success and longevity.

Team Formation Process

Establishing a Recycling Team or Committee is crucial for the success of a school recycling program. When forming a team, it's important to consider individuals who are passionate about environmental sustainability and have excellent communication skills.

Effective communication within the team is essential for smooth coordination and implementation of the recycling program. Encourage team members to actively participate in discussions and share ideas. Assign specific roles and responsibilities to each member to ensure accountability and clarity.

Regular meetings should be scheduled to discuss progress, address challenges, and brainstorm solutions. Foster an environment of open communication and collaboration, allowing team members to freely express their thoughts and concerns.

Roles and Responsibilities

To ensure the success of your school recycling program, it's essential to assign specific roles and responsibilities within the established Recycling Team or Committee. Effective communication and coordination among team members are crucial for the smooth functioning of the program.

Here are some key roles and responsibilities to consider:

• Program Coordinator : Responsible for overseeing the overall implementation of the recycling program and ensuring its alignment with the school's goals.
• Recycling Educator : In charge of educating students and staff about the importance of recycling and providing guidance on proper recycling practices.
• Collection Team : Responsible for collecting recyclable materials from designated bins and ensuring they're properly sorted and prepared for recycling.
• Communication Liaison : Acts as a point of contact between the recycling team and other school stakeholders, such as teachers, administrators, and custodial staff.
• Data Analyst : Tracks and analyzes recycling data to measure the program's effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.

Conduct a Waste Audit to Determine Current Recycling Practices

To conduct a waste audit and determine the current recycling practices at your school, follow a simple procedure.

Start by collecting a representative sample of waste from different areas of the campus.

Then, analyze the waste to identify recyclable materials that are being improperly disposed of.

This audit will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your school's recycling program and help identify areas for improvement.

Waste Audit Procedure

When conducting a waste audit to determine current recycling practices, it's helpful to begin by gathering all relevant materials and preparing a designated workspace. This ensures that you have everything you need and can work efficiently.

Here is a step-by-step guide to the waste audit procedure:

• Start by collecting all the waste generated in your school, including paper, plastic, metal, and food waste.
• Separate the waste into different categories to get an idea of the types and quantities of waste being produced.
• Weigh each category of waste to determine the volume and identify the areas where recycling efforts can be improved.
• Analyze the data collected to identify waste reduction opportunities and set realistic recycling goals.
• Document your findings and share them with the school community to raise awareness about waste audit benefits and encourage participation in the recycling program.

Analyzing Recycling Practices

Now that you have completed the waste audit procedure, it's time to analyze the recycling practices in your school. To ensure the success of your school's recycling program, it's crucial to understand the current practices and identify areas for improvement.

Start by examining the types of materials being recycled and the frequency of recycling pickups. This will help you determine if your school is following recycling best practices.

Additionally, measure the impact of the recycling program by tracking the amount of waste being diverted from landfills. This data will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your program and can guide future initiatives.

Develop a Recycling Plan and Timeline

Start by creating a clear and practical recycling plan for your school, including a timeline for implementation. Developing a recycling schedule and setting recycling targets are crucial steps in ensuring the success of your program. Here's a simple guide to help you create an effective recycling plan:

• Conduct a waste audit : Assess the current waste generation and disposal practices in your school. This will help you identify the types and quantities of recyclable materials.
• Determine collection methods : Decide on the collection methods that will work best for your school. Will you use separate bins for different materials or a single-stream system? Consider the logistics and convenience for both students and staff.
• Educate and engage : Develop educational materials and conduct awareness campaigns to promote recycling among students, teachers, and staff. Encourage everyone to participate and understand the importance of waste reduction.
• Establish recycling targets : Set specific recycling targets for your school. This could be a percentage of waste diversion or a specific amount of recyclable materials to be collected per month.
• Create a timeline : Set deadlines for each step of the recycling program implementation. This will help keep everyone accountable and ensure a smooth transition.

Educate Students and Staff About Recycling and Its Benefits

Now it's time to educate students and staff about recycling and its benefits.

Recycling is important because it helps reduce waste and conserve resources. By recycling, we can save energy, reduce pollution, and protect the environment.

It's essential to teach everyone in your school community about the positive impact recycling can have and encourage them to participate in the school's recycling program.

Importance of Recycling

By understanding the importance of recycling, you can actively contribute to the sustainability efforts of our school and make a positive impact on the environment. Recycling has significant economic benefits, such as reducing the cost of waste disposal and creating job opportunities in the recycling industry. It also has a profound environmental impact by conserving natural resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and minimizing pollution caused by the extraction and production of new materials. Through recycling, we can help preserve our planet for future generations.

So, why is recycling important? Consider these points:

• Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, preventing them from becoming overcrowded and reducing the need for new landfill sites.
• It conserves energy by using recycled materials instead of extracting and processing raw materials.
• Recycling helps combat climate change by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases during the production of new products.
• It protects natural resources like forests, water, and minerals, as recycling reduces the need for extracting virgin materials.
• Engaging in recycling educates students and staff about the importance of environmental responsibility and sustainable practices.

Benefits of Recycling

Recycling not only contributes to the sustainability efforts of our school and positively impacts the environment, but it also educates students and staff about the numerous benefits of practicing recycling.

By actively participating in a school recycling program, students and staff gain a deeper understanding of the importance of waste reduction, resource conservation, and environmental responsibility. They become aware of the significant role they play in minimizing waste and preserving natural resources.

Recycling also teaches valuable lessons about the lifecycle of materials, the concept of reusing and repurposing, and the positive impact of small actions on a larger scale.

In addition, recycling fosters a sense of community and collaboration, as students and staff work together towards a common goal.

Implement Recycling Bins and Signage Throughout the School

To ensure efficient and convenient recycling throughout the school, consider distributing recycling bins and clear signage in strategic locations. Here are some tips to help you implement recycling bins and signage effectively:

• Strategically place recycling bins : Position recycling bins in high-traffic areas such as cafeterias, hallways, and classrooms. This will make it easier for students and staff to dispose of recyclable materials.
• Use clear signage : Create signs that clearly indicate what can be recycled and what cannot. Use simple and concise language along with visual cues to make it easy for everyone to understand.
• Label bins appropriately : Label each recycling bin with the type of materials that should be placed in it, such as paper, plastic, or aluminum. This will help prevent contamination and ensure that items are properly sorted.
• Consider color coding : Assign different colors to different types of recyclables. For example, use blue bins for paper and green bins for plastic. This will make it visually clear which bin to use for each type of material.
• Regularly empty and maintain bins : Empty recycling bins regularly to prevent overflow and ensure that the recycling program runs smoothly. Additionally, regularly clean and maintain the bins to keep them in good condition.

Create a System for Collecting and Sorting Recyclables

Establish an efficient and organized system for collecting and sorting recyclables within your school. Implementing a well-designed collecting system is crucial to ensure that recyclables are properly separated and don't end up in the landfill.

To begin, strategically place recycling bins in high-traffic areas throughout the school, such as hallways, classrooms, and cafeterias. Clearly label the bins with easily recognizable symbols or pictures to help students and staff identify the correct bin for each type of recyclable material. Additionally, consider color-coding the bins to further streamline the sorting process.

To create an effective sorting system, it's important to educate students and staff about proper recycling practices. Provide clear instructions on what types of materials can be recycled and what should be placed in the regular trash. Conduct regular training sessions or workshops to reinforce recycling guidelines and answer any questions or concerns.

Furthermore, establish a team of students or volunteers responsible for monitoring and maintaining the recycling system. These individuals can regularly empty and sort the bins, ensuring that recyclables are properly separated and ready for collection.

Monitor and Track Progress of the Recycling Program

After implementing an efficient collecting and sorting system for recyclables, it's essential to monitor and track the progress of your school's recycling program. By tracking the program's performance, you can identify areas of improvement, celebrate successes, and ensure the program's long-term success.

Here are some effective methods for monitoring and tracking your recycling program:

• Conduct regular waste audits to measure the amount of recyclables collected and identify any contamination issues.
• Use tracking sheets or online platforms to record the volume of recyclables collected each week or month.
• Implement surveys or feedback forms to gather input from students, staff, and custodians about the program's effectiveness and areas for improvement.
• Analyze data collected to identify trends, such as changes in recycling rates over time or specific areas where recycling efforts can be enhanced.
• Set clear goals and targets for the program, and regularly assess progress towards these targets.

Engage the School Community Through Events and Campaigns

One effective way to engage the school community and promote recycling is through organizing engaging events and campaigns. By hosting school-wide campaigns, you can create a sense of unity and purpose among the students, teachers, and staff. These campaigns can be designed to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and encourage everyone to participate actively.

One idea for a school-wide campaign is a recycling competition. Divide the school into teams and challenge them to collect the most recyclable materials over a set period of time. You can track the progress of each team and award prizes to the winners. This not only promotes recycling but also fosters a spirit of friendly competition among the participants.

Another option is to organize themed events that focus on recycling and sustainability. For example, you could host a 'Trash to Treasure' event where students showcase their creative projects made from recycled materials. This not only highlights the potential of recycling but also encourages students to think outside the box and find innovative ways to reuse items.

To ensure community involvement, consider inviting local organizations and businesses that promote sustainability to participate in these events. This won't only enhance the impact of the campaigns but also create networking opportunities for the school and the community.

Continuously Evaluate and Improve the Recycling Program

To ensure the effectiveness of your school recycling program, it's essential to continuously evaluate and make improvements. Regularly assessing the program's effectiveness will help you identify areas that need improvement and implement changes accordingly. Here are some steps you can take to evaluate and improve your recycling program:

• Gather feedback : Conduct surveys or hold meetings to gather input from students, faculty, and staff about the program's strengths and weaknesses. This feedback will provide valuable insights into what's working and what needs to be changed.
• Analyze data : Review recycling data regularly to determine the program's impact. Look for trends and patterns that can help you identify areas for improvement, such as low participation rates or contamination issues.
• Benchmark against goals : Compare your program's performance against the goals you set initially. Are you meeting your targets? If not, identify the reasons behind the shortfall and develop strategies to address them.
• Seek external expertise : Engage with recycling experts or consultants to gain insights into best practices and innovative approaches. They can provide guidance on improving collection methods, implementing new technologies, or engaging the community.
• Implement changes : Based on the feedback, data analysis, and expert advice, develop an action plan to implement changes. This may involve revising recycling guidelines, enhancing educational initiatives, or exploring partnerships with local recycling facilities.

To create a successful school recycling program, it's crucial to identify clear goals, assess available resources, and establish a dedicated team. Conducting a waste audit will help determine current practices and guide the development of a recycling plan with a realistic timeline.

Implementing a system for collecting and sorting recyclables, monitoring progress, and engaging the school community through events and campaigns are essential steps. Continuously evaluating and improving the program ensures its long-term success.

Investigating the truth behind recycling theories adds sophistication and helps make informed decisions.

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Helpful Guide to Recycling Waste at School

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Getting students and teachers involved in recycling at school is good for the environment, educational and can be a lot of fun. Educating our children about the importance of recycling provides the country with a path to a greener future. As children learn about recycling, they will be more likely to carry these habits into their adult years. They also will learn how their personal actions can affect the future.

In this guide, we explore how to establish a recycling program at school and what that program could look like.

#1 Choose What To Recycle

First, administrators, faculty and students need to work together on recycling teams to decide how the school will move forward with its recycling program. Students can get involved with analyzing the types and amounts of refuse the school is producing. Sorting and recording what is being thrown away is an important first step to determine what the school is throwing out.

After seeing what exactly is being thrown away, you can set your school’s goals for recycling. You should identify the materials that can be recycled and determine how to collect them.

There are several types of recycling programs you can establish at your school. Below are the most common types of materials that can be recycled:

Paper Recycling

Paper is the major type of waste that schools create, typically comprising at least 25% of school waste. Most types of paper can be recycled. This includes:

• Computer paper
• Notebook paper
• School letterhead
• Colored paper
• File folders
• Paper grocery bags

When schools separate their paper from their other trash, the amount of waste that is sent to landfills can be dramatically reduced.

Metal recycling

Metal recycling is a good choice for schools who have vending machines that sell cans of soda etc.

Electronics recycling

From printer ink cartridges, to computers, to monitors, schools can recycle old electronics that would otherwise be tossed in landfills and pollute the environment. Electronic waste is some of the most toxic out there. Your school can go a long way towards helping the environment with an e-waste recycling program.

The school’s admin staff can get involved with this program by donating old computers, printers and monitors to Goodwill and other organizations that accept them.

Plastic recycling

From cups to plastic forks and spoons to food packaging, you school produces a lot of plastic waste that can be recycled. Much recycling and waste reduction can be done with plastics and other materials in the cafeteria. Schools can set up new policies to reduce trash created in the cafeteria.

Schools can work with their cafeterias to establish a composting program so that food waste is put in composters in the back of the school. Food waste, coffee granules, fruit and vegetable cuttings etc. can be put in the composter and kept away from landfills.

#2 Choose How to Recycle

Once you have determined what your school is going to recycle, you need to establish a program to enact your recycling goals. Below are some ideas for various types of recycling programs.

Establish a program for recycling paper in every classroom. Each room used for student activities should have trash bins for paper waste and regular waste. To work most efficiently, these bins should be different colors so it is easy to tell the difference between them. Both containers should be labeled clearly as trash or paper only.

Paper recycling bins also should be placed throughout the school, including in the hallways, cafeteria and restrooms.

Plastics, Food Waste and Paper in Cafeteria

Setting up recycling containers in the cafeteria can be very effective for recycling many types of materials, paper and plastic being the most significant. Bins can be placed for recycling food containers, plastic bottles, juice boxes, plastics, waste paper, etc.

Also, trash cans can be set out for food waste only that cafeteria staff can place into composters in the rear of the school.

Recycling bins should be placed next to vending machines that sell cans of soda and other drinks in aluminum containers. These bins also should be placed strategically next to trash cans throughout the school. By making the hole in the container the size and shape of an aluminum can, you can ensure that only aluminum cans go in these containers.

16 Ways To Recycle and Cut Waste at School

Now that you have some concrete ideas on how to set up recycling programs at your school, we wanted to give you some other ideas to encourage recycling and waste reduction at your school. Try these ideas with teachers and students:

• Route school memos electronically and do not print them out
• Reuse office and classroom supplies when possible rather than buying new
• Hold recycling contests between classrooms or grades to see who can collect the most recyclable materials in a week
• Use the front and back of copy paper for class assignments, then recycle it
• Encourage students to use recycled materials in their art projects, from water bottles to paper to beads.
• Keep a scrap paper box in every classroom
• Put a printer ink recycle bin in each classroom. You can collect these and turn them in for money at various businesses, which can be used to fund school activities
• Establish a recycling club that encourages recycling throughout the school.
• Post assignments and documents online rather than printing them
• Use old magazines for art projects
• Minimize the number of handouts used in classes, and recycle any that are used
• Encourage the cafeteria to buy food in bulk which reduces paper and plastic waste
• Donate any edible food to shelters in your town
• Encourage students to bring their lunch from home in reusable containers
• Use air dryers in bathrooms rather than paper towels
• Encourage students to bring junk mail from home and place in recycle bins

Recycling at School Recap

We hope that you have learned some solid ideas to grow a recycling program at your school. If you think we missed any good recycling ideas, please share them in the comment section.

Learn more about recycling in general and implementing recycling programs in schools by visiting these resources:

• What Do Your Recyclables Become?
• Recycling Plastics Is as Easy as 1-2-3  (PDF)
• Common Recyclable Materials  (PDF)
• FAQ for Recycling  (PDF)
• Top 10 Recycling Tips
• Waste-Reduction Tips
• Recycling Facts and Fun  (PDF)
• School Waste Study
• Schools Play Major Role in Great American Cleanup  (PDF)
• Wee Recyclers  (PDF)
• Recycling Is Elementary: A Study in Change and Conservation  (PDF)
• A Middle School Curriculum on Recycling  (PDF)
• The Lunch Line With Recycling in Mind  (PDF)
• Recycle Me! The Tree  (PDF)
• Where Do Things Come From?  (PDF)
• Wise Use of Paper
• Kids’ Recycling Tool Kit  (PDF)

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Recycling, Reusing, and Upcycling Activities Your School Can Do for Spring Cleanup

It's time for a fresh start.

Staff Writer

Spring is here! It’s time to open the windows wide and get some fresh air—and a fresh start. Spring cleaning is an ideal time to take a look at your school’s commitment to being green, too. As you tidy things up and get ready for sunny days ahead, try incorporating some of these school recycling, reusing, and upcycling activities. There’s no better time than spring to commit to helping the planet!

Recycling Activities

Reusing activities, upcycling activities, school recycling activities.

As you clean out lockers, empty out drawers, and dig into the back of cabinets, you’ll find plenty of stuff to get rid off. But don’t toss it all in the trash! School recycling can include glue sticks, old markers, electronics, ink cartridges, light bulbs… the list goes on and on. Start by joining the Recycle Rally for help recycling plastic, paper, and metal. Then, use these activities to get your students on board with recycling everything else they can.

Know what you can recycle

Encourage students to research what can be recycled, whether it’s locally or through mail-in return programs. Compile a handy list with locations for recycling every kind of item and share it with all staff and students. You can even send it home so families can step up their recycling efforts!

Set up a school recycling center

Make it easy for your students and teachers to recycle items while they’re spring cleaning by setting up a one-stop drop center.

• Provide one well-designed central location ( here are some free printable labels ) for everyone to drop off and sort their stuff. See how other schools do it here.
• Need more recycling bins? Convert an existing trash can, make one by upcycling aluminum cans , or build your own with this lesson plan .
• Don’t forget to make arrangements for everything to be delivered to the proper recycling centers .

Perform a waste audit

Spring cleaning is the perfect time to evaluate your school’s commitment to recycling. As you sanitize and organize, have your school Green Team (or any science class) perform a waste audit on your school. You’ll be surprised at how much more efficient this can make you! Get the free forms you need here.

Earn points at TerraCycle

TerraCycle offers points for recycling just about anything—from household cleaners and cosmetics to food wrappers and baby food packaging. Choose the programs that work for you and earn points you can redeem for cash for your school. Check out TerraCycle here.

Exchange used ink cartridges for cash

If your school uses Staples to buy ink or toner, you can participate in their Rewards program and get $2 back on each used ink or toner cartridge you return to the store. Other stores may offer similar programs, so be sure to ask.

Recycle electronics instead of sending them to the landfill

Got a stash of old broken printers, outdated tablets, unneeded keyboards, and so on? Don’t fill up the dumpster with them. Instead, find local organizations that will recycle them for you. Best Buy stores offer a trade-in and recycle program that could even earn your school a little cash!

Sing and dance while you work

Keep students motivated—spring cleaning is always more fun with music! Teach your kids to sing the Recycling Song ( lyrics here ) to help them remember to recycle every single day. Plus, encourage your class to dance along as Chaz Bruce, music teacher in Rochester, NY, shows off some of his favorite recycling dance moves!

School Reusing Activities

It takes a lot of energy to recycle materials, so it’s better to reuse and repurpose items when you can. Teachers are already the masters of reusing supplies and learning tools over and over again, but here are some clever (and easy) ideas you might not have tried yet. Use them while you’re spring cleaning to give new life to old stuff!

Soak old markers to make DIY paint

Before you recycle your old markers, soak them overnight in water to make DIY watercolor paints! This idea couldn’t be easier and ensures you get your money’s worth out of every last marker. Learn how it works here.

Make every scrap of paper count

Schools are using a lot less paper than they used to, but there’s still plenty of it floating around. Ensure every last bit gets used by designating a scrap paper box in each classroom. As you clean out filing cabinets or cupboards, save any pieces that are blank on the back for kids to reuse as scrap paper.

Refill your prize box with reused treats

Lots of teachers use small toys as rewards in the classroom. Save money (and the planet) by asking friends or parents to donate unwanted new or gently used toys, stickers, or other items that are still in good shape. Spring cleaning is the perfect time for everyone to keep an eye out for these items.

Save bottle caps for math manipulatives

Save the caps as you recycle plastic bottles, then reuse them as math manipulatives in the classroom. Try scooping up a handful and asking kids to estimate how many you have , or use them as counters on your 10 frames.

Arrange a pencil sharpening station with jars

As you clean out drawers, you’re likely to find plenty of old pencils that still have some life left in them. Create a pencil station made from reused jars labeled “Dull Pencils” and “Sharp Pencils,” and designate one student to spend a few minutes each day sharpening all the pencils at once. Kids who need sharp pencils can grab them and drop off their broken ones in exchange. Keep a jar of erasers on hand too, since the ones on the pencils themselves always seem to wear down before the pencil is finished.

Corral crayons or colored pencils in rainbow tin cans

Ready to tidy and organize your giant bin of crayons, markers, or colored pencils? First, pull out all the keepers and sort them by color. Then, wrap colorful washi tape around clean empty cans and fill them with matching colored pencils or crayons. Now it’s easy for kids to find exactly the hue they’re looking for.

Organize anchor charts with pant hangers

Got a big stack of anchor charts? Use clip hangers like the ones you get from dry cleaners or department stores to organize your collection of anchor charts. It’s an organizing hack that won’t cost you a penny, thanks to this brilliant idea from The Organized Classroom .

Hold a shoe drive

Kids regularly outgrow their shoes before they wear them out. That’s why a shoe drive is such a fantastic school reusing activity! The company Funds2Orgs can help you set up a successful drive and ensure all those old sneakers wind up in the right hands (and feet).

Replace paper towels with washable fabric scraps

Desks get sanitized pretty regularly these days, but what about bookshelves or the tops of filing cabinets? Spring cleaning is the time to make them shine! If you can, skip the paper towels and use old fabric scraps instead. Collect them in a trash bag and take them home at the end of the week for a quick wash.

School Upcycling Activities

School reusing and recycling are important, but upcycling is just plain fun! When you upcycle, you take an object that would otherwise be thrown out and turn it into something fabulous. Keep an eye out for certain items as you spring clean, then give a few of these projects a try.

Spell out an alphabet of upcycled letters

Don’t buy classroom décor when you can make it instead! As you clean out boxes and drawers, look for items that are shaped like letters, or can be used to make them. Then use your letters to spell out a sign or just post the alphabet around your room. Get more upcycled letter ideas here.

Give broken crayons new life

Every elementary school has a huge collection of less-than-perfect crayons. Don’t toss them out, though! There are so many cool things you can do with broken crayons. Find lots of ideas here.

Spark STEM learning with cardboard

We’ve all got more cardboard boxes than we know what to do with these days. Before you toss it all in the recycling bin during a cleaning spree, try using some pieces for STEM challenges first. Take a look at what happened when one school added cardboard to their STEM cart.

Turn a plastic bottle into a trophy

Try holding a recycling contest as your school tackles spring cleanup tasks! See which class or grade can produce the least trash or collect the most recyclable bottles or cans. Then upcycle a plastic bottle into a trophy to give the winners! Get the DIY here.

Convert an old t-shirt into a tote bag

Found a box of leftover outdated t-shirts from a school fundraiser or event shoved in the back of a closet?  With a few snips and twists, those old tees can gain new life as tote bags! Here’s the how-to.

DIY a cardboard box into a recycling monster

This school upcycling activity encourages recycling activities too. Save a big cardboard box and convert it to a hungry recycle monster! Here’s the DIY.

Turn a broken mini-fridge into a Little Free Library

Finally ready to replace an old mini-fridge? Turn the old one into a Little Free Library! Learn more about the Little Free Library movement and how to set one up at your school here.

Refashion plastic bags into yarn

With a few simple snips, you can turn a plastic bag into yarn (or “plarn”) for classroom crafts. Visit Kitchen Table Classroom to see how to make it and what you can do with it.

Upcycle your old board games

If your board games are getting a little beat up, or you have some that never seem to get played anyway, upcycle them! Turn Connect Four into a sight word game, add dinosaurs to Guess Who?, or make the ultimate review game with Jenga. Find all those ideas and more here.

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Recycle Rally

Recycle Rally is a free K-12 program that provides rewards and tools to help enhance recycling at your school!

Additional Resources

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News from the Columbia Climate School

Protecting Our Planet: 5 Strategies for Reducing Plastic Waste

Olga Rukovets

Plastics are ubiquitous in our world, and given that plastic waste can take thousands of years to break down , there’s more of it to be found on Earth every single day. Worse yet is the fact that the stuff doesn’t easily decompose —it mostly just disintegrates into smaller and smaller pieces.

These tiny particles, called microplastics , have found their way to all parts of our globe , no matter how remote. They’re also increasingly detected in our food and drinking water. A recent study by Columbia researchers found that water bottles contain even more—10 to 100 times more—of these minute plastic bits (dubbed “nanoplastics”) than we previously believed. The health effects and downstream repercussions of microplastics are not fully understood, but researchers are concerned about the long-term impacts of ingesting all this plastic.

Meaningful change to clean up this mess will undoubtedly need to happen on a very large scale. Accordingly, Earthday.org , an organization that originates from the first Earth Day back in 1970, has designated this year’s theme as Planet vs. Plastics , with a goal of achieving a 60% reduction in plastics production by 2040. Organizations like Ocean Cleanup have been working on technologies to clean up the plastic floating in our oceans and polluting our waterways. And in 2022, 175 UN member nations signed on to a global agreement that promises to produce a binding treaty to overcome the scourge of plastic by the end of this year (though it has not been without setbacks ).

What are some actions individuals can take on a regular basis to reduce plastics consumption?

1. Embrace the circular economy

Increasingly, advocates are calling for a circular approach to production and consumption as one important way to reduce the burden of plastic waste. Sandra Goldmark , senior assistant dean of interdisciplinary engagement at the Columbia Climate School, reminds us that circularity is very much in use in the modern world—we have public libraries, neighborhood swaps and traditional and regenerative agricultural practices that demonstrate the success of the concept. But it does need to be harnessed on a global scale for the benefits to be palpable. “Currently [our economy] is just 8.6% circular,” Goldmark said. “Over 90% of the resources extracted from the earth are manufactured into goods that are used, usually once, and then sent to landfill or incinerated, often within a year.” By encouraging greater reuse, repurposing and exchange of these goods, we can keep more plastic out of our oceans and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions substantively.

Fast fashion, for example, may be appealing for its convenience and low prices—but what are the true costs? With 100 billion garments being produced every year, 87% end up as waste ( 40 million tons ) in a landfill or incinerator. The average person is now buying 60 percent more clothing than they did 15 years ago, but they’re only keeping them for  half as long as they used to, according to EarthDay.org . 

Instead, the UN Environment Programme recommends re-wearing clothes more frequently and washing them less often. Look for neighborhood swaps and Buy Nothing groups, where you can trade items with your local community. Consider repairing items before trading them in for new ones. See additional tips for healthier consumption of “stuff” here .

2. Reduce your reliance on single-use plastics

Considering the fact that Americans currently purchase about 50 billion water bottles per year, switching to a reusable water bottle could save an average of 156 plastic bottles annually. Start bringing reusable shopping bags and containers when you go to the grocery store or coffee shop.

Many cities and states have already implemented plastic bag bans as one step toward decreasing our use of these plastics. Some local businesses even offer discounts for bringing your own coffee cup or bags with you.

3. If all else fails, recycle (responsibly)

When it can’t be avoided, recycle your plastic correctly . If you try to recycle the wrong items—sometimes called “ wishcycling ”—it can slow down an already constrained sorting process. One rule to remember, Keefe Harrison, CEO of the Recycling Partnership , told NPR: “When in doubt, leave it out.”

Recycling programs vary between communities and states, so it’s important to get to know your symbols and research what they mean in your own zip code . For example , plastic bags and plastic wrap or film cannot be placed in your household recycling bin, but some stores have special collections for those items. The symbol on the bottom of a plastic container can tell you what the plastic is made from, which can help guide your decision to recycle it or not, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it can be picked up by your local recycling program. Local websites, like New York City’s 311 , can provide a more detailed breakdown of the types of items that can and cannot be recycled—e.g., rigid plastic packaging including “clamshells”: yes; tubes from cosmetics and toothpaste: no.

Still, reports of how much (or how little) of our plastic waste is actually recycled are alarming—with some estimates ranging from 10% to as low as 5% —so it is still best to opt for other alternatives whenever possible.

4. Get involved with local actions and clean-ups

There are many local movements doing their part to mitigate the environmental contamination caused by plastics pollution. Take a look at what’s happening locally in your neighborhood and globally. Check with your parks department for organized community efforts or consider starting your own . As part of EarthDay.org, you can register your initiative with the Great Global Cleanup , where you can find helpful tips on all stages of this process and connect with a worldwide community.

5. Stay informed about new legislation

As the world grapples with the growing plastics crisis, some states are trying to take matters into their own hands. In California, the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (known as SB 54 ), mandates the switch to compostable packaging for all single-use utensils, containers and other receptacles by 2032, with steep fines for companies that don’t comply. New York is currently moving ahead with a bill called Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act , with the goal of cutting down plastic packaging by 50% in the next 12 years; if it is signed into law, this legislation would also mandate charging fees for noncompliant brands.

Pay attention to what’s happening in your own county, state or country and get involved with efforts to advocate for causes you support. Send messages to your representatives, educate your neighbors and friends, and join a larger contingent of people trying to make the world a better and more sustainable place for current and future generations.

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Celebrate over 50 years of Earth Day with us all month long! Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, resources, and inspiration.

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What Schools Can Do With All Those Leftover Solar Eclipse Glasses

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The total solar eclipse traveled across North America on April 8, creating lasting memories for countless school-aged children who caught a glimpse of the celestial event. But important lessons linked to the eclipse need not be over yet.

The next solar eclipse is set to take place on Oct. 2, 2024. It will pass through parts of southern Chile and southern Argentina, where multitudes of young would-be gazers may not have the resources to obtain glasses for safe viewing. But several organized efforts to donate gently used, safety-approved solar eclipse glasses are underway.

“It’s about bridging gaps, connecting people through a shared experience, and igniting a passion for the cosmos in young hearts,” stated Eclipse Glasses USA in a news release announcing its donation program.

Schools in the U.S. that shared the eclipse with their students, possess a surplus of the viewing specs, and want to teach lessons in recycling and sharing may want to get in on the action.

Here’s how.

How to donate eclipse glasses

Experts from the American Astronomical Society remind would-be donors to make sure glasses meet safety standards from approved suppliers before donating them. In addition, shared glasses should be scratch- and tear-free, without punctures or other damage that could compromise their safety.

Where to donate the glasses

From hyper-local grassroots efforts to well-coordinated national initiatives, various organizations are accepting donations of solar eclipse glasses. Here’s a partial list:

Eclipse Glasses USA sells ISO-certified eclipse glasses. Founded by educators-turned-small business owners, it’s collecting the glasses for kids in underserved communities around the globe. Interested donators can request instructions by emailing [email protected] .

Astronomers Without Borders , based in Calabasas, Calif., aims to “build and cultivate community through astronomy.” It has curated this list of local drop-offs around the country accepting donated eclipse glasses.

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current events conversation

What Students Are Saying About Why School Absences Have ‘Exploded’

Chronic absenteeism has increased in American schools since the Covid-19 pandemic. We asked teenagers what they make of the trend.

By The Learning Network

Nationally, an estimated 26 percent of public school students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the most recent data, from 40 states and Washington, D.C., compiled by the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute.

The increases have occurred in districts big and small, and across income and race.

In “​ Why School Absences Have ‘Exploded’ Almost Everywhere ,” Sarah Mervosh and Francesca Paris explain:

The trends suggest that something fundamental has shifted in American childhood and the culture of school, in ways that may be long lasting. What was once a deeply ingrained habit — wake up, catch the bus, report to class — is now something far more tenuous. “Our relationship with school became optional,” said Katie Rosanbalm, a psychologist and associate research professor with the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University.

In a related Student Opinion question , we asked teenagers if that explanation resonated with them. Had their relationship to school — and school attendance — changed since the pandemic? And if so, what did they make of this shift?

Many students said, yes, school feels different now. Why? They pointed to remote learning changing their routines, an increase in anxiety and a decrease in motivation, the ease of making up schoolwork online and much more. Read their responses in full below.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the conversation on our writing prompts this week, including students from Central Bucks South High School in Warrington, Pa .; Norwood High School in Norwood, Mass.; and West Salem High School in Salem, Ore.

Please note: Student comments have been lightly edited for length, but otherwise appear as they were originally submitted.

Remote learning made students comfortable with missing school.

I believe that there are two main contributors to missing school too much. The first is online school. Myself included. It was very easy to simply leave the call after taking attendance and the teacher wouldn’t realize. Skipping class was easy and you could still get high grades. Transitioning back to real school, kids still held that true. They knew that they could miss school and still do well because covid taught that to them. The second reason is punishment. When you miss school, nothing happens. Class goes on and you have a little extra homework the next day but that’s it. What is the issue with missing class is a very common thought and it’s true. There is very minimal downside to missing school. When I had surgery, I missed a full week of school and within a day and a half, I was fully caught up again. Missing school has just become all too easy.

— Xavier, Pennsylvania

2020 was when our lives completely changed for the worst. We all had to stay inside and stay separate from each other. It was terrible, not being able to talk to my friends, and seeing the death toll on news constantly rise. However, after a year into the pandemic, I believe students realized the power they now had, including me. Now that I am a highschooler, I am going to admit that sometimes I would just mute my class and do whatever I wanted. School became shorter and easier to pass than ever before. That’s why when we all transitioned back into school, it was weird. We all still wanted to get through class the “easy way,” yet now that we were back, it wasn’t possible. This is why we started increasing our absences. The threat of absence has become weak, students are not as afraid to stay out of school. Furthermore the threat of being infected gave just one more reason to be out of school, for the sake of “preventing others from getting sick,” when in reality you feel fine. That is most likely why the absences in school had an exponential increase.

— Joshua, Pennsylvania

Students feel like expectations are lower than they were before the pandemic.

As a student in high school, I’ve come to realize the horrible state our attendance has been in since the pandemic. The reason can be simplified into one idea: laziness. We are lazy, willing to do only enough to get by, no more, no less. If a student doesn’t need to come to a class to obtain the grade they wish to achieve, then they won’t show up. Classes are not challenging enough to make students feel that they are worth going to. My mom is used to getting texts from me during the school day, begging to be excused from a class where “we’re doing nothing” or, “I already finished the work,” which is true, yet I abuse the opportunity to miss class because I know there will be no greater coincidence, I will still be getting an A. Due to my laziness, I would rather be at home taking a nap than sitting in a class with no greater impact on my life.

— Clara, Salem, Oregon

Since the pandemic, schooling has been focused on getting students caught up to where we’re supposed to be. Consequently, more allowances are made for students who don’t do assignments or don’t even show up. And with the switch to all online because of the pandemic, things have never shifted back. If a student misses a day or even a week, they can easily see what they missed and do it and submit it from home. With this option giving them the exact same grade as it would if they actually went to school, it’s no wonder why students are choosing to stay at home or skipping class. Additionally, the pandemic had heightened anxiety levels in students, specifically social anxiety, making them less likely to show up. The allowances made by the school district for students has created a space for students to be lazy and get away with it. This is fostering a negative impact on student work ethic not only now, but also in the future when this generation will be entering the work force.

— Emma, West Salem High School

The period of school shutdowns got students out of their school routines.

When I think back to virtual learning, my brain automatically goes to how stress free it was. I was in sixth grade when Covid first hit and going through a period of my life where I was extremely anxious at school. I believe that this break is exactly what I needed at the time. However, I do believe that in the long run, this online learning time period got a lot of people into the routine of not having a routine. A lot of people at my school would turn their camera off and fall asleep or go on their phones during online learning. I believe that there were times that I did this as well. I also think that this mindset carried through into the grades where I did not have an online/hybrid option. In eighth and ninth grade, I happened to stay home sick, go into school late, or leave early a lot. I think this is due to me not taking school as seriously due to the grading methods that were being used and how some of my teachers were not grading harshly. Now that I am a sophomore in high school, I think I have finally gotten back into the routine of actual schooling and not staying home sick unless I actually feel extremely sick.

— Madison, Pennsylvania

Before the pandemic and as I was growing up, I was the kind of student that wanted perfect attendance. For some odd reason, it made me feel like a better student if I never missed a day. This included turning my parents down when they offered me to go on trips, even though I was only in fourth grade and the work that I would have missed wouldn’t have made an impact in my academic career. However, after the pandemic school began to feel optional. We felt what it was like to fall out of the routine that going to school was and were never able to fully recover from it. I think that having experienced attending school from your bed, in your pajamas has played a major role in the current trend of students receiving more absences. For me, it made me realize that the “0” next to your number of absences didn’t matter as much as I had once thought. As a now highschooler, the school days are long and every class requires an abundance of work and undivided attention that whenever there is a substitute or not much going on, it is easy to decide to leave school. With senior year approaching, everything’s purpose is college and the fact that colleges aren’t able to see how many absences a student has when they apply, does play a role in the increasing number of absences.

— Ava, Miami Country Day School

Because assignments and other materials are online, students find they can keep up with their classes even if they don’t attend school.

Schools have adjusted rules so much that it makes school feel optional. Don’t want to attend class publicly? Take online classes. Don’t want to take “required” state testing? Opt out. Before, school seemed strict, we didn’t have the option to opt out of tests, we didn’t think of taking online school. Yet now, schools make it so easy to skip because everything is simply online. Our assignments, lectures, and teachers are all online. There are no longer requirements in school. What’s the point of attending if we can graduate without taking state testing or attending advisory — also a requirement, yet I no longer have an advisory because my counselors said I don’t need to take it to graduate. It’s confusing. Students have been enabled for over 4 years now since quarantine started. School doesn’t feel mandatory, it’s optional. I’m currently enrolled into 2 AP classes, so I try my best not to miss school. But it’s inevitable, I get sick, I have family situations or maybe I simply don’t feel like attending school. But I see people skip school like nothing. “I didn’t feel like going” is a constant statement I hear. Not many students have the motivation to attend, and simply don’t go because they have a comfort in their head that they can graduate while missing multiple days of school nearly everyday.

— Olivia, Salem, OR

Current absenteeism rates have significantly impacted my learning experience for the past few years. Since the pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift in the perception of the value of education and whether or not attendance is an important factor in a student’s academic success. In the years following 2020, I found myself struggling to make it to class everyday due to my new found efficiency of working at home with my computer. I felt that even if I was not in class personally, I would be able to keep up with my work easily as it was all online regardless. Due to this I would go on trips or skip class purely because I was under the impression that I would be able to continue achieving virtually.

— Ruby, RFHS

Before the pandemic, my attendance was stable but after the pandemic, my absences were piling on. It was difficult to get back in the rhythm of in person school when I had already done a whole year online, but now my attendance in school is definitely getting better. On the other hand, students in my school tend to miss school and it is a rare sight to see a full class. Some students go as far as showing up to class once a week and just do the classwork online. After the pandemic, schools went from paperwork to all online, which is a big reason why students miss all the time, knowing that school work can just be done at home. It has definitely affected students’ grades and goals in life, but hopefully in the future, absences can lower back down.

— Emily, Atrisco Heritage Academy High School

Going to school, and finding the motivation to have as good an attendance record as possible, now feels like more of a struggle.

As students, we’ve developed a comfort in staying in bed during school without having to get ourselves ready to go outside. We had the ability to wake up five minutes before “school” started to get on our zoom calls. Now, we must wake up an hour and a half prior, and make breakfast and pack lunch, before driving to school. The process is tenuous as the article states, but because we’ve accustomed to a different lifestyle, it just makes this one seem like so much more work. I, myself have noticed my difference in attendance after COVID-19. I used to be very obsessed with perfect attendance, but I had 11 absences in my sophomore year, right after coming back from online school. Nowadays, I’m more lenient on myself when it comes to taking a mental health day, because the process can be overwhelming. School is very important, so of course I try to always come in, but sometimes it can be hard. I have not noticed this trend in the world, as well as with myself until this article. It’s enlightening to know that this had not only an effect on me, but all over the country. Hopefully the rates of absenteeism will decrease as time goes on, because we are the future.

— Anisha, New Jersey

Before virtual learning, I never made much of a habit of not turning in work or showing up for class. It was so much easier then but since virtual learning, it had become incredibly difficult for me to focus as well as keep up motivation to continue school. It was easy to skip and nobody really said much about it so it easily became a bad habit. That bad habit eventually leaked into normal school as well and it always sounds so much easier to break out of than it actually is.

— Tayy, NRHS

As the average high school class skipper (only sometimes), in my personal experience, missing out on classes hasn’t really been because of mental health concerns, but more of just lasting laziness from the pandemic. I feel as though I was relatively hard working in middle school/elementary but after a few years off with only half effort assignments, I have grown to become more sluggish and reluctant when it comes to more advanced work while in school. And it makes the option of missing out on classes because of my own reluctance a lot more appealing.

— Luke, Bali, Indonesia

My schedule during the week is get up, get ready for school, go to school, go home, do homework, go to sleep and then I repeat that everyday for 5 days. As much as I don’t want to dread going to school, it’s exhausting having the same schedule repeated everyday of the week. While in school, you have assignments assigned nearly everyday. I feel as though school has had a change in its meaning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While in quarantine, we were looking at a screen for the whole day and lacked motivation to get assignments done. When we shifted to in person school again, it didn’t change. I now look at school as a task that I need to complete to shape my future. I need to have all my assignments perfect and turned in on time. The meaning of school has turned into a draining task rather than a place that you look forward to going to.

— Jamisan, Salem, Oregon

Some students face challenges in attending class that may have nothing to do with the pandemic.

I don’t believe that students are skipping because it is so easy to catch up and pass, despite their absences. In fact, I know that a lot of people who skip aren’t passing most of their classes. They do this because their parents don’t hold them accountable, and there is always something deeper going on in that student’s life that makes it that much harder for them to find the motivation to go to class. I don’t think making the classes harder will hold students more accountable, but in fact deter them from going to class at all. If a student is aware that they are failing and doesn’t understand the concept of the class, and the class proceeds to become harder, they are going to quickly become unmotivated to go to class in the first place, feeling out of place compared to the other — passing — students in the class. While I don’t have a solution for this problem, myself, I feel that the problem is much broader than we suspect, and the answer will be a much deeper journey to find.

— Kylie, West Salem HS

Schools can do more to get students back in class.

I attend a French school in London and attendance is closely monitored. Absences have to be justified by your parents or you could get into trouble. I think it’s important to attend school as we did before Covid - because as well as learning the curriculum, it is crucial to socialise with your friends and classmates, which is good for your mental health … I wonder if social media could be a factor? If students did not have access to social media or the internet, would they prefer to be in school with their friends? This increase in absenteeism could affect students’ chances of getting into University when they come to finish school or even their opportunities later in life. Students need to be reminded of this more and more perhaps. School helps you to learn not just about facts but also helps to build your emotional quotient & social intelligence — which are all valuable for life.

— Alexandre 14, London

As a current high school junior, my experiences with skipping have been minimal at best, however, I feel strongly that the reason behind skipping is pretty simple. Students don’t care as much about school and the system encourages it. When faced with the choice of sitting in a class and learning about the Patagorian theorem or hanging out with friends, many students are now choosing the latter. The lack of care or effort being put forth in school doesn’t even affect their grades! This is due to certain classes having minimal grades set at 50%, which is 10% away from a pass. This system is actively encouraging people to put minimal effort into a class just to get a pass and graduate. Removing courses like this would certainly raise the importance of getting the work done. Another solution to this problem would be having attendance as a grade, if your grade depends on you being in classes then most would show up. If you have to show up to class to pass then more students would be inclined to do so. The emphasis is on not bending the knee to people who don’t want to show up to class, not giving them a minimal 50%, we should mark attendance for a passing grade, and letting them fail. If we keep letting students skip with minimal consequences then their attitudes won’t change and thus hinder our students’ growth.

— Henry, Salem, OR

Learn more about Current Events Conversation here and find all of our posts in this column .

Massive fire at San Joaquin County recycling center causes nearby homes to evacuate

A massive fire sparked early Thursday morning at a pallet recycling center near an elementary school in the Banta community of San Joaquin County.

It is believed that five acres filled with wooden pallets at the GMA Pallet Recycling Corporation were fueling the blaze, which triggered three alarms for the fire department. That means that extra resources and personnel were required to handle the fire.

Fire officials said at least two-thirds of the yard was actively on fire before they gained control of the flames. There is no water supply in the area, so firefighters had to shuttle water in, which made it difficult to keep it under control.

"A big challenge was water. There's not a municipal water system in this area, so we had to shuttle water back and forth," South San Joaquin County Fire Authority Fire Chief Randall Bradley said. "We've put about 250,000 gallons of water on the fire through our shuttle program."

Bradley said firefighters had extinguished most of the flames by Thursday afternoon. Some hot spots lingered, and fire crews and dozers stayed at the plant throughout the afternoon to put them out. Most fire department personnel appeared to leave the recycling center around 4 p.m.

What caused a lot of challenges is that pallets can easily create large fires, the chief said, explaining that it's dry wood with gaps between the rows. And at the plant were piles stacked 16 feet high separated by aisleways, which made for easy breathing for the flames.

"It's just a very hot, difficult fire. Just the way pallets are designed, air gets between the slots and it feeds the fire and then the fires grow quickly," Bradley said.

According to the San Joaquin County Code of Public Safety , there are water requirements when it comes to pallet storage. Section 315.8 states, "An approved water supply and fire hydrants capable of supplying the required fire flow shall be provided within 150 feet of all portions of the storage, manufacturing, and repair areas in accordance with Section 407.5, California Fire Code."

Bradley said there was water at the facility, but fire crews simply needed more.

"We had 10,000 gallons of water on site. But we quickly went through the 10,000 gallons of water, and then we bring about 6,000 gallons of water with us, but we went through that also, so we got water tenders and then started shuttling water," Bradley said.

Now, just ashes remain where thousands of pallets stood.

Bradley said authorities evacuated six homes, and a total of 19 people, near the fire in the 5000 block of West Grant Line in Banta east of Tracy. Those homes were right next to the pallet recycling center.

Eucadio Martinez lives a couple of houses behind the plant, and he said he woke up to the flames.

"I see a big fire over here like maybe more than 20, like 30 or 40 feet high," Martinez said.

Martinez was worried the embers landing in his yard and near his home would spark.

"It was really scary," Martinez said. "We could have a fire in the house, I think because I see the embers coming a lot. It was really bad in the morning."

A notice was sent to teachers at nearby Banta Elementary School that the school was closed on Thursday due to the fire.

Watch our earlier coverage from 7 a.m. in the video below

It's unknown how the fire started. No injuries have been reported.

Fire crews worked to protect other homes and businesses nearby.

A recycling plant employee who spoke with KCRA 3 said anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 pallets have burned.

At one point, a dust devil could be seen in the middle of the fire area .

Road closures were in place between Grant Line Road between the 11th Street roundabout and Chabot Court for a large part of the day, according to the Tracy Police Department.

GMA, based in San Bernardino County, has other locations in Mira Loma, Riverside, Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga. The family-owned company has been in operation for 25 years.

Fire officials said they interviewed the plant manager, as well as other individuals, as part of their investigation to see what might have caused the fire and where exactly in the recycling plant the fire started.

This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app .

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Video: The most extreme moments during a recycling plant fire in San Joaquin County

READ THE FULL STORY: Massive fire at San Joaquin County recycling center causes nearby homes to evacuate

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How to Get Your Whole School On Board With a Recycling Program

Tips and resources to make your efforts a success.

Fact: A successful school recycling program can benefit your entire community. Kids learn accountability and lifelong lessons, and recycling makes a positive impact on the environment. But how do you take your plan from idea to action, and get all stakeholders on board?

Here’s how to launch a robust, thriving school recycling program. Let’s go!

Step 1. Set and share your recycling program’s goals.

School community members will embrace a recycling program if they, most importantly, understand your “Why.” Why should your school recycle? Why would everyone want to be involved? We love how PepsiCo’s Recycle Rally Kickoff Event Guide encourages communication of your “why” goals upfront. Create an initial checklist that’s up for discussion with stakeholders. Make it clear you value participation, education, and welcome feedback throughout this journey.

Step 2. Use the power of facts and figures.

Sharing recycling data shows that action creates an impact. Present fun facts like how every plastic bottle recycled can power a tech-lab computer for 25 minutes (National Wildlife Federation). You can also show how recycling opportunities are all around a school community , including the front office, cafeteria, and classrooms. These will help justify a new school recycling program.

Step 3. Find examples of smart recycling programs.

Examples of school recycling programs are right at your fingertips with a quick Google search. You’ll find major initiatives, like PepsiCo’s Recycle Rally , offering free resources and effective ideas. Glean information from resources of all kinds and scales to see what may work at your school and what to avoid. Your research will help you finesse your action plan.

Step 4. Get visual with blueprint-style materials.

Visual learners and communicators will love this organized action plan . Layout specific checklists for leadership opportunities and responsibilities . Show off your organization skills and intention with a recycling bin audit , too. Schools can use it to determine where on campus they’ll benefit most from bin placement.

Step 5. Make it about the team.

Input from your school community is essential—let their voices be heard! Jeff Zito, the Director of Curriculum at Berkeley Township School District in New Jersey, has led a PepsiCo Recycle Rally school. He says that school culture thrives when everyone’s point of view is considered. 

“Getting all the players involved and listening to everyone helps the entire process,” Zito says. “We worked with teachers, the custodians, the parents, and the community. They gave us ideas of local businesses connections and ideas we may not have thought ourselves.”

Step 6. Rally community members and students.

Stir up the excitement! Call on your student council to help with research and solidify the plan. Zito says that the power of peer-to-peer motivation is unprecedented.

‘ Your recycling program is contagious,” he says. “Families, the community, and the town quickly become partners in the program.”

Step 7. Present your school recycling plan.

You’ve been organized, data-driven, and welcomed input. Now, show ’em your stuff! Infographics , inspiring videos , and simplified fact sheets  are all visually motivating materials. They’ll help convince partners and participants at all levels to support your initiative. Keep style and graphics simple, so they are easier to consume and understand. 

Check out this guide to involving administrators for a starter checklist, a sample letter to the principal, sample memo to staff, and more.

Step 8. Get ready to roll out.

It’s time to spread the word of your recycling program launch! Consider creating a quick video instead of a traditional newsletter or written announcement about the new program. No video access? Try rounding up the troops for a fun assembly, make use of morning announcements to drive spirit, and encourage recycling classroom activities all-program long!

Start a recycling program at your school with the help of Recycle Rally. Get free printables, resources, and more on their website.

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EPA Deputy Administrator Visits Minneapolis to Announce $4 Million in Recycling Funding and New Electric School Buses under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

April 9, 2024

CHICAGO (April 9, 2024) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe participated in two events with state and local officials to announce a $4 million recycling infrastructure grant to the city of Minneapolis and new electric school buses coming to Minneapolis Public Schools. Both funding opportunities were made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which delivered unprecedented funding to support national infrastructure, improve people’s health and safety, create good-paying jobs, and reduce carbon emissions throughout the country. 

 “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is funding critical projects that are protecting human health and the environment, strengthening infrastructure, and combatting the climate crisis,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “It was an honor to join so many of our partners in Minneapolis to highlight two exciting grants that will increase access to recycling across the city and bring cleaner and safer transportation to Minneapolis students.”

 During the first event, Deputy Administrator McCabe and EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore joined Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Katrina Kessler and Mayor Jacob Frey to highlight a recent $4 million recycling grant to the city of Minneapolis. The grant will be used to redevelop the North Transfer Station into a new residential self-haul resource recovery and waste drop-off site, increasing recycling capacity and equity for local residents. The EPA previously announced the recipients for the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grants, more info can be found on the agency’s website . 

 “We’re bringing the North Transfer Station to life – giving Northsiders a convenient and accessible place to reduce and recycle, while moving the dial on our Minneapolis Zero Waste goals,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “This $4 million EPA grant will not only help to benefit our residents through this project, but will also help us keep our parks and waterways cleaner at the same time. I’m grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for their support of this Minneapolis project and their ongoing commitment to tackling climate change at every turn.” 

 Following the recycling event, the Deputy Administrator, Regional Administrator and Commissioner Kessler joined Minnesota Dept. Of Education Commissioner Willie Jett and local officials at Whittier Elementary School to highlight two electric school buses coming to Minneapolis Public Schools. These buses are part of a $29 million grant to the Highland Electric Fleets company which will purchase 98 electric school buses to serve 15 school districts across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In January, the EPA announced the selection of 67 applications totaling nearly $1 billion to support the purchase of over 2,700 clean school buses, 95% of which will be electric. 

“We are committed to cleaning up school buses. They’re a major source of emissions in neighborhoods around the state and we know that children are especially vulnerable to the negative impacts of air pollution,” said Katrina Kessler, commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “This important work requires partnerships at local, state, and federal levels, and EPA’s investments in putting more electric school buses on Minnesota roads will help us to reduce carbon emissions and slow the pace of climate change.” 

 “We know electric school buses will save Minneapolis Public Schools money in operating costs and repairs, but more importantly, research shows clean buses have many benefits for students: Children who breathe lower diesel gas emissions are healthier, miss fewer days in school and tend to have better test scores,” said MPS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams. “What makes these buses even better is the fact that MPS students wrote letters asking the district to buy them, and explaining how they are better for the environment. We’re inviting those students to be among the first to test ride them on Tuesday.” 

 “Today schools are called to be more than just a place to get a good education. Our students, families and communities rely on us to care for the whole child, including their social-emotional, physical and overall health needs,” said Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett. “The addition of electrified school busses is a win-win.” 

 "I can't think of a better time than Earth Month to be sharing the news about school bus electrification at Minneapolis Public Schools,” said Joshua Williams, senior midwestern regional manager at Highland Electric Fleets. "We're thrilled to join the EPA and local leaders to help bring cleaner, healthier air to more students." 

 The EPA’s $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, includes both a grant program where selected applicants are awarded funds to purchase buses, and a rebate program that allows selectees to receive awards before purchasing eligible buses that replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. The EPA will make more funds available for clean school buses in additional rounds of funding.  

 About the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program 

The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program is a new grant program authorized by the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $275 million for Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grants in support of the National Recycling Strategy, which aims to improve post-consumer materials management and infrastructure; support improvements to local post-consumer materials management and recycling programs; and assist local waste-management authorities in making improvements to local waste management systems. 

 About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program 

The Clean School Bus program funds electric buses, producing zero tailpipe emissions, as well as propane and compressed natural gas buses, resulting in lower tailpipe emissions compared to their older diesel predecessors.  

The Clean School Bus program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Air pollution from older diesel engines is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Efforts to minimize the effects of these older diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day.   

 The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will benefit school districts as they upgrade to cost saving and fuel-efficient school bus fleets, by replacing existing buses with brand new zero-emission and clean school buses and freeing up needed resources for schools.  

 For more information, please email [email protected] .  

  View the full list of Clean School Bus grantees. 

 Visit Minneapolis Public Schools' website for more information.