Posted on 17th July 2017 by Hintons
More and more people practise recycling each day here in the UK, but not everyone is aware of the benefits of recycling or how to go about recycling effectively.
Education is one of the most influential factors when it comes to inspiring people to take part in recycling. Young people in particular are often the focus of recycling campaigns, being encouraged to think harder about recycling and the impact their waste has on the environment. The more engagement the better, and one charity in particular has created their own unique programme to teach youngsters all about recycling.
Creative Approach to Recycling
Scotland-based charity ‘Remake’ began their ‘Remake Challenge Champions’ programme in 2016. The 10 week educational course offers a range of activities to young people aged 5-18, and aims to bring more fun, engagement and creativity to recycling.
Remake recently gained funding for a second year of the programme in 2017. The programme provides drop-in sessions as well as organised projects for a variety of groups including after school clubs, youth clubs, charities and more.
Youth Outreach
The success of the programme in 2016 is encouraging; over a thousand people aged 18 and under received free workshops and outreach sessions in the first year. Youth engagement is pivotal for the continued future of recycling and waste management. Programmes such as this, which focus heavily on education and skill sharing, are a unique – and much more attractive – way of introducing children and teenagers to recycling.
With the programme now in its second year, Remake has the opportunity to expand and build upon the level of understanding and enjoyment centred around everyday recycling.
Workshops and Projects
The core of the campaign involves a range of creative workshops and interactive projects in which kids, young adults and volunteers can participate.
Each activity is delivered by members of the Remake team, and a large proportion of projects try to teach children how to reuse household objects. They show off ways in which everyday waste can be reused and recycled in new, fun and intuitive ways. Most of these projects can be easily duplicated at home, some with and some without the supervision of an adult.
This all leads to greater accessibility and acceptance of recycling as part of a routine and day-to-day life.
Some projects that have been used as part of the campaign include:
- Making Christmas decorations using domestic waste materials
- Carrying out gardening and creative recycling in care homes
- Using domestic waste materials to create arts and crafts
Children learn what can be recycled around the home and how to properly recycle different things. The creative approach encourages kids and young adults to think about recycling in a new, fun way. This helps to instill a stronger sense of understanding and a healthier relationship with recycling from a young age, and this is only strengthened as this campaign and others like it continue to grow.
The Benefits Of Recycling
It is hoped that, as the focus on recycling and reusing develops over the coming years, young people and people in general will be armed with greater insight, appreciation and knowledge about environmental protection. It all starts with implementing recycling in your daily routine and identifying ways to reuse and recycle waste generated around your home or business.
Programmes, such as the one created by Remake, are a great way to bring recycling to new generations. From there, knowledge can be shared throughout the community and beyond, which can only be a positive thing for the healthy future of our environment.
When it comes to the efficient disposal of your commercial or domestic waste, look no further than Hinton’s Waste. We are dedicated to providing professional recycling and waste management services across London, Croydon and Sutton, including the disposal of hazardous waste, hardcore and rubble, and commercial WEEE recycling. For more information on our recycling services and the benefits of recycling in general, simply contact our friendly team.