5 Ways to Teach "Zero Waste" to Children

My grandson's recent creation is a desk set
made from packages normally tossed in a bin.

     With a little assistance from Granny and Grumpa, my little grandson put together this great little desk set for a classroom project during the "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" week at school. He used contact paper that we ordered online, and cut it to cover several containers and packages that would have otherwise ended up in the recycle bin. Recycling the packages is good, but finding a use for the packaging is even better, because it uses little energy to create them, aside from the initial manufacturing process of all the parts. Now he has a place for all his supplies on his desk.

     Teaching children to use less, waste less, reuse, or donate items that are no longer useful to them is easier when you are using these practices at home yourself. When you develop the mindset that all items can become useful again, even if it means donating them, you also start to look for ways to repurpose and reuse them however possible. Children are naturally creative and excited to share their ideas for such treasures, so they take to designing projects very quickly and easily. Give them the opportunity for growth when you incorporate these ideas:

1. Have a box available for items they may be interested in bringing new life to. They can figure out a use for them at a later time, when their creative juices are flowing, or they have a need. Keep craft materials and tools where they can be reached easily.

2. Have a handy resource that helps with the symbols for what items can be recycled to help with sorting for things you don't have any plans for. Check out this link:   https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/recycling/stories/recycling-symbols-decoded Show your children how to sort into bins or boxes to be taken to your local recycling site.

3.  Help your children find ways to upcycle by using different websites designed for that purpose like  https://www.upcyclethat.com/  or try some of these ideas on  https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=upcycling%20crafts&eq=upcycling&etslf=7636&term_meta[]=upcycling%7Cautocomplete%7C4&term_meta[]=crafts%7Cautocomplete%7C4

4.  Look for children's programming that feature recycling and upcycling, such as "Curious George Discovers Recycling,"   http://pbskids.org/video/sid-science-kid/1884201189 and The Greens http://meetthegreens.pbskids.org/episode3/recycle.html

5. Have a "Dime for Donation Day"and give your children ten cents for any toys that they choose to share with others,  or have a "Take a Treasure Trip" day and look for items around the neighborhood that can be collected for recycling or upcycling. Make field trips to the park, the homeless shelter, and watch films to learn about how others use less plastic-packaged products. 

Children care about the world they live in, and some are passionate about making it a nicer place to grow up in. Help them find ways to make a difference, and allow them the freedom to create beauty from the waste in our daily lives.

Shalom.