As the school leader you can work with your green team to provide information on what materials can be recycled, where to recycle and the importance of recycling in your community. These three education goals are essential to increasing school wide recycling efforts. Think of the three R’s. Can we reduce the waste generated in the first place? If not, can we reuse it? If we can’t reuse it, can we recycle it?
Here are some helpful places to find lessons to complete with your green team and then use to educate your school community.
Resources on Waste and Recycling:
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Recycling
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-Recycling Basics and Benefits
Recycling Fact Sheet by Recycling Revolution
OR DEQ Make Every Thread Count clothing and textiles campaign
The Environmental Center Rethink Waste Project – Find a recycler or reuser
Activities and Resources:
Education World Lessons on Trash and Recycling
Play Recycle Or Not, The Game!
The Quest for Less- Activities for Teaching K-8
Videos and Graphic Resources
Saving Little Pieces of the Earth video:
Saving Little Pieces video in Spanish
The Story of Stuff– dark look at consumerism and the life-cycle of goods- appropriate for middle school and high school
The Story of Bottled Water– appropriate for middle school and high school.
Material recycling at a Material Recovery Facility (MRF):
The plastic industry’s long fight to blame pollution on you – 9 minute video appropriate for Middle and High School students