The whole family canmake a difference and protect our planet on November 15th for National Recycling Day.
The important work of conserving, protecting, and caring for our planet is a big job but we can all help out! National Recycling Day isa great opportunity to learn how to reduce pollution, mitigate climate change, and to participate in programs that make an impact locally and globally.
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. Did you know we can recycle metal, plastic, glass, paper, and even water and human waste! Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators and helps conserve natural resources like timber, water and minerals. This means less virgin material needs to be harvested, processed, manufactured and transported to create new goods. Using the 3R’s—reduce, reuse, recycle—we can be less wasteful, give everyday products a second life, and turn old materials into new ones!
Keep scrolling for videos, games, activities and more to help raise environmentally-responsible kids and learn about how our choices can positively impact the planet!
And remember… recycling helps, but it won’t solve our environmental problems alone.
Creating less waste and more compostable materials,reducing our water consumption, supporting research for new methods of producing eco-friendly goods, and being advocates for keeping businesses and governments accountable for how they treat the environment are all vital ways to help!
Jump to article sections:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Use It Again | Sesame Street
Grades PreK-K
Enjoy this melody all about recycling! Explore the various ways you can reuse and recycle everyday household items.
How to Raise Environmentally Responsible Kids
Grades PreK-3
Talking with your child about the environment and ways to help take care of our planet can help your child establish eco-friendly habits that make a difference!
Are You Recycling Correctly? | Things Explained
Grades 3-8
We all want to protect Mother Nature by recycling, but it’s important to recycle correctly. In this episode of Things Explained, we explore commonly accepted items for curbside recycling and items that usually end up in the landfill. We also share ways you can help reduce and reuse to cut back on pollution!
The Reality of Plastic | Engineering for Good
Grades 6-12
Plastic. It’s super useful but it’s also a big problem for the environment. Enough plastic is thrown away every year to circle the earth four times! The main issue is that plastic doesn’t break down, meaning it sticks around for a very long time. This video gives a quick overview of the scope of the plastic problem and what some people are doing to try to solve it.
Waste Water Recycling | Fresh Solutions
Grades 6-12
Did you know you can recycle waste water? In this video, we’ll explore how new technology is helping homes and businesses recycle both greywater and blackwater to reduce their overall water consumption.
Games, Activities & Crafts
Super Cleaner Upper
Grades PreK-K
The Cat in the Hat is pitching in to keep the community clean! In this game, your child can hunt and classify items to recycle or compost.
Make an Ocean Mobile
Grades PreK-3
Teach your child to reuse and recycle – and to protect ocean life – with this DIY ocean mobile craft.
How to Make Recycled Crayons
Grades PreK-3
Discover how crayons are made and then create your own with this craft that is great for all ages and a fun weekend activity! Your crayons will make excellent teacher gifts, party favors, or back-to-school presents. Have fun experimenting with different color combos and shapes!
Cyberchase | Trash Dash Game
Grades 1-5
Watch as teams compete to score as many points as possible by sorting objects into bins for reuse, recycling, compost, or landfill and completing obstacles along the way. Then try the Trash Dash activity, found in the Support Materials section, at home with your family!
SciGirls | Going Green: Waste Audit
Grades 3-8
This activity, presented by SciGirls, teaches students how to reduce waste, and what happens to the environment when we don’t recycle. Learn more about recycling by sorting a day’s worth of trash from your home or school into different categories and then graphing what percentage can be recycled vs. true trash.