R ECYCLING By: Brooke Clayton

D ID Y OU K NOW … In the United States, there are 4 MILLION plastic bottles being used every hour! For every ton of recycled glass, 315 kilograms of carbon dioxide is saved that would have been released during the creation of new glass. Recycling aluminum cans saves 95% of the energy used to make new ones. Plus, you can make some money! On average, a single person can generate over 4 pounds of trash every day! If every American recycled one – tenth of their newspapers, we could save about 25 million trees per year! Aluminum can be recycled from old bikes, cans, computers, cookware, wires, cars and other sources! So don’t throw away that old stuff you don’t know what to do with, Recycle It!

R EDUCE, R EUSE, R ECYCLE ! What is recycling? Recycling means to take old items (such as tin, paper, bottles, or cardboard) to be reused to make new items. This reduces energy that is used and pollution that is spread. Recycling can be done in different ways. Reduce: cut down on the amount of items you throw away and the electricity you use. Reuse: see if the items you are throwing away can be reused. Recycle: take your trash to the blue recycle boxes if available or to a recycling business.

W AYS TO R EDUCE Cut back on the items you buy. This could be buying more in bulk. Look at the packages that the items you are buying come in. Cut back on the amount of electricity you use. Unplug household items not being used. Microwaves, Hair care products, Heaters, Lamps, Phone Chargers Walk or ride a bike to school! Instead of drying your clothes, hang them up to dry.

W AYS TO R EUSE Borrow items instead of buy to use just a few time! Reuse old newspapers for various uses! Make your own cleaning supplies. Use a reusable cup or bottle to drink your water from. Reuse old jars and pots for storage. Make a tire swing instead of burning or throwing away old tires.

W AYS TO R ECYCLE Buy products that can be recycled. Use plant trimmings and left over food to make compost for the garden. Plant more trees! Cash for Cans Recycle old aluminum cans to get some extra money for your school! Use materials for other projects and art materials instead of throwing them away.

W HY SHOULD WE R ECYCLE ? To save money. To save energy. To preserve the Earth. To reduce landfills. To help keep our community clean. To save animals and us from pollutants.

I TEMS THAT ARE R ECYCLABLE Aluminum Cans Like the ones sodas are in Glass By color Plastics By types Magazines & Newspapers Electronics Cell phones, refrigerators, blenders, mixers, etc. Tin Cans Cans that your food comes in Grocery Bags Junk Mail Ask them to stop sending it. Pay your bills online Reuse food leftovers and pieces for your garden Yard Waste Grass and leaves

H OW TO R ECYCLE Think before you trash! Collect all the materials that can be recycled first. Second, you have to sort all of your products out. This is according to what they are. Others will also have numbers and colors to be sorted by. Third, find a place that will take all the recycled materials. Ask what their requirements are. An example, smashing your cans before they will accept them. Places, such as Wal-Mart, have bins to place your old plastic bags to be used again or recycled.

G AMES & R ESOURCES FOR L EARNING FOR K IDS Recycle Roundup Green Planet Kids Recycling Zone National Recycling WeekNational Recycling Week – worksheets Recycled Crafts Crafts and Lesson Ideas For Recycling 349 Crafts Made from Recyclables Recycled Art Ideas

I DEAS FOR C LASSROOM R ECYCLING Science Fair Projects Make your Own Compost (here’s how hments/kidspack.pdf) hments/kidspack.pdf Start a Classroom Garden Reuse Paper Use the front and back of papers, reuse milk cartons, bottles, and boxes to make new crafts. Basketball Recycle cans to make a fun indoor game for rainy days. Pick up trash around your school and community once a month. Recycling Relay Set up recycle bins that you have made. Give the students products to place in the bins and see who wins!

R EFERENCES Runnymede Borough Council National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Recycling for Kids Kids Recycle Page Kids Be Green Pinterest – search recycling ideas for the classroom Recycling Facts for Kids Do Something Teaching Kids to Recycle Recycling Guide Tips for Being Green