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recycling kids
New York, NY – Every year Americans generate 250 million tons of trash – enough to fill a line of garbage trucks that would stretch from the Earth halfway to the moon.
Studies have shown that at least 75% of our garbage could be recycled and composted; San Francisco has achieved a 77% recycling rate, the highest of any U.S. city. But our national recycling rate currently stands at 34%. We can, and must, do better. U.S. schools are not only leading the nation in energy efficiency, they are implementing model recycling programs.
On April 2nd, thousands of students, in schools from Connecticut to California, will aim to "recycle right" for four weeks during the 2012 Green Cup Recycle Challenge, a student-driven recycling competition for K-12 schools sponsored by the non-profit Green Schools Alliance (GSA). During the Challenge, schools compete to improve recycling compliance, decrease contamination, raise awareness about consumption, and celebrate waste reduction.
The Challenge is purposely designed to be easy, to maximize participation and provide instant feedback. Students don't have to measure quantity or volume of waste. They simply need to ensure that trash goes into trash bins and recycling goes into recycling bins, monitor bins for proper sorting, and record the data on the Challenge website each week. The process helps to identify contamination "hot spots" where recycling can be improved through better signage or bin placement.
The competition is not funded by corporations so there is no prize money to be had, but what is gained is knowledge of how to recycle properly. The student-run Recycle Challenge creates a friendly rivalry between schools that motivates everyone to do better. Students can compare their results with other schools across the country online. Points are awarded for recycling and trash bins that are properly sorted. Schools that earn the most points are honored as "Recycling Champions”.
To learn more about the 2012 Green Cup Recycle Challenge or to register your school to participate, visit http://www.greencupchallenge.net/recyclechallenge/.
