40 Days 'Til the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day: The Ultimate Mini Recycling Guide

Recycling is a lot easier than you think, and it only takes a few minor changes in your daily life to make a massive difference. The Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education (NIE) has some of the best tips to recycle, and we’re combining all of those right here! One of the keys to reducing, reusing, and recycling is to use creative entrepreneurial thinking and rethink the way we currently do things. Share these simple tips in the classroom to train your students to become Sustainability Superheroes!

Quick Tips!

• Bring your own container to take food to go at a restaurant
• Use reusable bags for grocery shopping (and for produce too!)
• Avoid plastic bottles and carry a refillable sports bottle instead
• Don't use paper towels to clean. Use sponges and rags instead.
• Always donate clothing, books and toys that you don't use.
• Compost yard waste and leftover food you don't eat.

The problem is, sometimes even when we are trying to do the right thing, we participate in wish-cycling. This can create problems for recycling facilities. Here is a very helpful infographic from the NIE that provides some examples of things we shouldn't put in our recycling bins. When in doubt, throw it out!

Read more about recycling from the NIE here. Visit our resources page to get tons of information and lesson ideas on sustainability.