Regardless of age, we should all be doing our part to help the planet. If you’re a teacher, emphasizing the importance of recycling to your students is critical. After all, environmentally conscious children are more likely to grow up to be environmentally conscious adults. Here are some tips for teaching your class about recycling.
1. Share Specific Facts
Providing specific details will help make it easier for children to understand the environmental impact of recycling. For example, you can tell your students that, according to DoSomething, America produces more than 200 million tons of garbage yearly. You can also look up interesting facts about recycling together with your students, such as how many times a glass bottle can be recycled or how much waste is recycled every year.
2. Take a Recycling Company Trip
Consider organizing a field trip to a local recycling company so your students can see recycling in action. Students can take a tour of the facility and learn more about the complete process of recycling. Most children love getting out of the classroom for a day, and seeing how recycling happens in the real world can help them better understand the whole process.
3. Discuss Current Environmental Issues
It’s essential to teach your students exactly why recycling is important. Be sure to explain what happens when trash winds up in landfills because it isn’t properly recycled. You can also teach children about the impact of waste on animals and local ecosystems. Learning how improper waste disposal affects the world around them can help motivate children to fight for positive changes.
4. Emphasize What They Can Do
Many children feel like they’re too young to have any impact on the world. However, kids can make several changes that can benefit the planet around them. Give your students real-life examples of things they can do, such as recycling cans and bottles. These steps may seem small, but emphasize how they can significantly impact the planet. Have a class brainstorming session to generate more ideas of items to recycle.
As you teach your students about the value of recycling, it’s important to practice what you preach and recycle items in your own household. If you’re looking for a recycling company to assist you with your waste disposal needs, contact Opendaker today to learn more about our services. We look forward to assisting you!