Recycling for Kids Course

PURPOSE / FOCUS OF THIS COURSE

The purpose of this course is to provide the necessary tools and knowledge for kids to become recycling experts! This program teaches kids what recycling is, it’s importance and how they can do their part to lower their carbon footprint.

COURSE CONTENT / METHOD OF SHARING

This course will be broken down into three chapters, each offering knowledge on the following categories:

1. What is Recycling
2. The Importance of Recycling
3. Your Role in Recycling

At the end of this course there will be a fun multiple-choice quiz that will test your recycling knowledge. Get ready to become a recycling expert!

Recycling is taking something that has been used in its current form for as long as it can be useful and turning it into something new, this is an alternate solution to throwing items into the garbage.

When items aren't recycled, they are often sent to the landfill or become litter. This course will help shine the light on the importance of recycling and how to prevent items from going to the landfill or becoming litter.

Pre-cycling

Before you even consider to recycle, remember to Pre-cycle. Pre-cycling is getting rid of the need to recycle or dispose of waste by not creating waste. This is a step that should be taken before recycling.

Here are ways you can pre-cycle:

• Pack your lunches in reusable containers instead of in plastic bags
• Avoid using paper by reading on a screen instead of printing. An example would be trying to read on an e-book rather than printed books. If you prefer reading a book that's printed, try renting one from your library or offering your books to a used book store when you're done with them. This prevents them from landing in the trash when you are done reading them.
• Use reusable bags whenever possible

THE 3 R'S OF RECYCLING

It’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure they are doing their part when it comes to recycling. Here are a few examples of how important recycling is and why you should participate in recycling programs:

• Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and combustion facilities
• Recycling helps conserve natural resources
• Recycling saves energy
• Recycling prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials
• Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global climate change
• Recycling creates jobs
• Recycling helps sustain the environment for future generations

HOW RECYCLING AFFECTS THE ENVIRONMENT

The facts below shine light on how much recycling affects the environment:

• Americans create 258 million tons of trash per year, with only 89 million tons being recycled, that means 169 million tons of trash is either going in a landfills or becomes litter.
• 40% of all waste going to landfills is paper. Cutting down on paper waste will extend the lives of our landfills.
• For every 1 ton of plastic that is recycled we save the equivalent of 2 people’s energy for 1 year, the amount of water used by 1 person in 2 month’s time and almost 2000 pounds of oil.
• In 2010, paper recycling had increased over 89% since 1990.
• Landfills produce approximately 25% of Canada's methane emissions (methane is a powerful greenhouse gas).

For more recycling facts, visit the current facts section of the Resource Center.

Now that you have an understanding of what recycling is and it's importance, it’s your time to shine and help others learn about recycling too! Below are ways that can help you keep up the great work of spreading the knowledge and doing your part.

Plant a tree

Planting a tree is an easy way to help keep our natural resources. Every year nearly 4 billion trees are cut down around the world for paper use. It may seem like planting one or two trees won’t make an impact, but we need to start somewhere. All of the help we can get is appreciated, just think of how if you are planting one tree, someone else is too! Help spread the word of the benefits of planting a tree, we will need them years to come!