3 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SCHOOL RECYCLING PROGRAM
The things that we learn when we’re in school tend to stay with us throughout the duration of our life, which is why it’s so crucial that we teach our children the ins and outs of recycling from a young age. Educating children in recycling can be easily integrated into their day to day curriculum, and with its hands-on approach, it helps to provide an interactive and mind stimulating activity.
Without educating our children on the hazards of materials such as mercury in fluorescent lights and heavy metals inside batteries and electronics we are not allowing them to make better waste decisions for their future. Whether it’s cans, plastic, bottles or batteries, a good school recycling program can show that big things can be achieved with just small daily actions and provides a pathway to a greener future.
Here are our top 3 ways that you can improve the recycling program at your school
INVOLVE THE COUNCIL
Involving the council in your school recycling program can improve your efforts greatly. Not only can you tap into their existing programs, but they also offer some great platforms for education. Some councils allow school groups to tour their Waste and Resource Recovery Centres and provide a council spokesperson to visit the group to give a waste presentation. Give your local council a call and see what information they can offer your school.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
There are so many great activities that can educate children about recycling and its importance to the environment. Implementing a recycling program is one thing but using activities to educate pupils about it will bring it to another level. Here are a few activities for children that will help them learn about recycling in a fun way.
- Pop Quiz – A pop quiz is a great way to get children to use their brain and express what they know about recycling. They will get excited about increasingly getting questions correct.
- Class Discussions – Hold a class discussion once a week with the entire class to talk about their opinions on recycling and how they do it in their own home. You could even have the students provide suggestions about how the school can improve their own recycling efforts.
- Arts and crafts – This is a fun way of recycling materials and can demonstrate to the students that recycling can be fun.
- Word search activities – This allows the students to explore the different terms related to recycling.