Keep America Beautiful Partners With Schools

Every year, the nonprofit group Keep American Beautiful invites public, private, and faith-based schools throughout the United States to participate in Recycle-Bowl. Recycle-Bowl is an annual nationwide competition to promote recycling of waste materials in elementary, middle and high schools. Last fall, during the 2012 competition, the program was responsible for collecting over four and a half million pounds of recyclable waste material from all participating school locations.

The annual competition takes place in schools between October 15 through November 9. This past year, Recycle-Bowl had more than fifteen hundred  participating schools from all fifty states. Of all the schools, Taylor Primary in Kokomo, Indiana was awarded first place of all those participating collecting a total of forty seven pounds of recyclables per child. Winning schools from each state were also chosen.

Teachers and administrators from the winning schools agree that the recycling competition is not only an ideal educational opportunity to explore the issues facing the global environment but it’s also a fun activity that comes naturally to children. As more and more schools institute mandatory recycling, waste reduction, and even food composting, recycling becomes not only a special, once a year contest, but something that is expected every day.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Whether you’re running a school, a business, or your own household, holding a competition is a great way to promote the importance of recycling and get everyone doing their part. If recycling isn’t a part of your waste management plan, this would be a great way to get it started. You’ll be saving “green” while helping the environment at the same time!