Today the Front Porch Library began its push to turn our kids and their families into recyclers–by making it fun. First we had a table full of things both recyclable and un and the kids had to pick out those that weren’t and explain why. And then we did the recycle relay race.
Volunteers hid trash throughout the yard while we were inside hearing a story, and the really shocking statistics about how much trash we as a species make. Then we divided into teams. One team member at a time bolted for the yard, grabbing a piece of trash and then putting it in the right place (the correct side of the recycle bin or the trash), then the next would take off. You would be amazed at how exciting finding a diet soda can can become when it is competitive.
Then we took a walking field trip to the new community garden, picking up trash and recyclables along the way. That too roused a competitive fervor in the group. At the garden the radishes were again sampled and everyone sat on the just-delivered ring of oak logs as if we were a great council–as perhaps we were.
We plan to work on recycling for a while, doing trash gathering field trips around the neighborhood. And we will also build a 100% recycled material dragon–which we will photograph intensely and then recycle.
