Recycling help?

Question

This coming year me and a couple of my friends want to start a recycling program at our school. We're seniors so we're hoping we can get it up and running by the time we have to leave. Our school is rather big and we aren't real sure where to start. We know we have to bring it up with the top dogs of the school but I need to know where I can find information that would help to persuade them. I thought plastic bottles is where we could start.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

my friends and i did the same thing. the bins that go outside are big and tall. they stay by the elevator on each floor. the small bins stay in offices and small rooms. the person who uses that room is in charge of taking their small bin and emptying it in the big bin. the day before pickup during our lunch my friends and i take the large bins outside to be picked up. the day after during our lunch period we take them back inside by the elevator on each floor. for adult help try finding a teacher who supports you and you all trust.

Answer 2

I recommend to start with paper, plastic, and aluminum. Those are big items used everyday at school. The more usual it gets the more help you can provide,

Answer 3

I would recommend starting with aluminum and aluminum cans if possible.  Aluminum can be sold for money, which could help fund the program or make it self sustaining.  There's no money in the plastic recycling business unless you deal by the ton.

Answer 4

Here's a great page that gives you tips about how to start a recycling program:

http://www.greenstudentu.com/Programs.as...

Answer 5

start a petition and get enough signitures from the students

and teachers and staff.. to provide the proof you need that its

not only needed but wanted..and here is some more info to add to the great sites that have already been recommended..

here's to you ..go...

http://www.peaceful-organic-planet.com/r...

http://www.peaceful-organic-planet.com

Answer 6

Hello!  Try paper first and then go from there.  We just started one in our school this year.  We started with a small committee of students (6) and 3 adults.  We priced out two larger recycle bins (23-gallon slim jim model) for our faculty workrooms and then smaller ones (7 gallons) for the classrooms.

The students empty them into the larger bins in the workrooms as they get filled up and then our awesome custodians dump them into the large dumpster out front.  Our initial cost to get started with the blue recycle bins was about $250 and we've earned about half of that back this year in revenue from recycling paper company (an insulation company).

This local company recycles paper and provides the school with a large paper-recycling dumpster at the school that they empty every 2-4 weeks.  They actually pay us each time they pick it up and take it away.  I am sure that there is one or more in your area.

Our district gave us a grant for the project (service-learning) and we've expanded it to aluminum and plastic (only in the faculty lounge).  The custodians get the revenue from the aluminum and I haul out the plastic when I dump my home recycling bins.

I will bet that your community or county might provide a large bin for plastic bottles (or find out who the larger companies are that buy their plastic and contact them).  Putting large recycle bins in the commons area that are clearly marked for plastic, paper, etc. is important.  There was a little frustration that came up from the trash that many threw in the bins.  We had to remind the students in morning announcements more than once.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.  I am the assistant principal at Hill Field Elementary School in Clearfield, UT.  Our web page link is:

http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/schools/hillf...

Answer 7

Here are a few sites. I would recommend talking to your principal or whoever is in charge of student activities to check on funding. See if you can get other student groups to help publicize. Check with faculty, especially science teachers to get their "stamp of approval."