A Lesson in Recycling

Recycling is an area of waste reduction that we’re all familiar with. Sorting cans, bottles, paper and plastic has become a daily ritual for most of us, as we work to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

As adults, making environmentally conscious decisions like recycling may come as second nature, but for youth, it’s important they know why these decisions are so important. Reaching out to our youth at an early age with lessons of environmental stewardship ensures our future is in good hands.

With this in mind, GreenUP has been working closely with the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, Northumberland County and the City of Kawartha Lakes to deliver a highly successful program to schools throughout central Ontario.

Called Recycle Rangers Planet Protectors, the assembly style puppet and multimedia presentation features a puppet, Eric, and his friend the Recycle Ranger. The show follows Eric as he learns about waste reduction. The three video segments take Eric to the local landfill, recycling facilities and the composter to learn all about what happens to the stuff we throw out. Throughout the show, Eric and the audience learn about where our resources come from, and where they end up.

The show acts as an introduction for some students, and a reminder for others, as schools continue to work hard to encourage waste reduction and recycling. The show complements the efforts of schools, while also offering follow up support. The program also has an interactive website (recyclerangers.ca) which is designed for parents, students and school staff to access resources, and find more ways to reduce their environmental footprint.

The take home message of the show is that we all have to do our part to conserve and protect our environment for future generations.

Recycle Rangers is another example of GreenUP forging strong relationships with schools and municipalities to ensure a green future here at home and beyond.