Activity Overview: Even in places where it is easy to recycle because of school-wide or community-wide initiatives, many people are confused about what and where to recycle. Students can help other students by creating instructive visual signage for waste collection areas. This activity is a bonus if the materials for the posters or signs are reused. For example, flip an old poster advertising a school dance or work session and use the back to create a recycling sign. Or reuse cardboard from shipping boxes.

Time: 30 minutes

Procedure:

Students create different posters and signs to show students, teachers, and other school guests what is appropriate for recycling. Make sure students clearly label the posters as Trash or Recycling and then provide visual examples of elements appropriate for the respective bins. Does your school have a composting program? Ensure these containers are clearly visually labeled also.

Work with your schools' maintenance team to use appropriate materials for affixing these posters to the walls in waste areas or around the school to serve as a constant reminder to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Extension:

Work in Mixed Media

With sturdier poster boards or cardboard, students can attach actual items appropriate for either trash or recycling to their respective boards. Working with food for composting may not be feasible for a long-term advertising situation, but cans, cardboard boxes, paper, plastic wrappers, utensils, and other waste items are an immediate source of reuse, which keeps these items out of the waste stream.