When Will We Be Recycled, Momma?
In my home, we recycle, we compost, we use as little plastic as possible. To my son, it’s the “norm” but when he started Kindergarten, he quickly realized that not everyone acts the way we do. I began to volunteer there and I too was surprised that even though there were recycling bins for paper, the kids were not encouraged to put it in there. They weren’t encouraged to recycle in the lunchroom (the waste in there is unimaginable to me, but that’s another story). The school does have cardboard bins in the parking lot and battery recycling in the school’s office. But is it encouraged? Can you imagine if every family brought in their batteries to be recycled? All those battery operated kids toys and most of the families just throw the dead battery in the trash.
So how do we help? How do we encourage students as well as teachers to be more conscious of their habits? One great way is to get curriculum in the classrooms that are fun and educational at the same time. One Bottle One Dream has done just that. Schools can get a bundle pack with books and a PDF teachers guide that will help them incorporate these important topics into their classroom. These would make a great gift for your child’s teacher or you could even sponsor a school.
I encourage you to start asking your child’s teachers about how they approach the subject of recycling or being a steward of the environment.
Let us know in the comments below if you have worked with a local school to raise environmental awareness.
