Our Township does not collect recycling from our school. This means that we put all of our recyclable materials into the landfill bins on campus. Green Team members volunteer with local beach clean-ups and see plastic everywhere. Many of these items are single-use plastics, just like the ones we throw away on a daily basis. Plastics pollute our oceans and our beaches, and they threaten our wildlife.
Because Earth is one of the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy, we decided to create our own recycling program. Green Team members created signs to designate one bin for recyclables in classrooms where more than one was available. The students will take turns bringing bottles and cans to return locations where they will collect the deposit funds. All monies collected will be donated to a local non-profit organization that promotes marine conservation.
It went really well! We successfully filled our TerraCycle boxes with bottle caps, which is a fantastic accomplishment for our school-wide recycling initiative. Additionally, the students were rewarded with a dress down day for their exceptional participation and enthusiasm. Overall, it was a successful and rewarding experience for everyone involved.
The importance of environmental stewardship, the power of collective action, and the significant impact even small changes can have on our community and planet.
We might change our focus to include collecting a wider variety of items for recycling, expanding our impact and promoting more sustainable habits among our school community.
My favorite part of this project was witnessing the sense of unity and purpose it instilled within our school community. Seeing students come together to work towards a common goal of sustainability was truly inspiring. Additionally, I loved seeing the creativity and innovation that emerged as we found new ways to encourage recycling and promote environmental awareness.
Incorporate gamification elements or incentives to make recycling more engaging. For example, you can organize competitions, offer rewards for participation, or create themed events.
