Recycling Reinforcement: Eco-Friendly Calendars for Home and Classroom

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Everyone is witnessing the first signs that spring is approaching- warmer weather, sunny skies, and patches of yellow daffodils to reveal that there are beautiful days ahead. As the spring season blooms, we also know that Earth Day celebrations are only a month or so away.   

These reminders also indicate the perfect time for spring cleaning and establishing positive recycling habits. Recycling is a meaningful way to protect our environment so future generations can carry the torch of being good stewards of our planet. Using eco-friendly calendars can help make incorporating recycling into your daily routine easier. Take some time now in this season of renewal to update your weekly, and monthly calendars to schedule your recycling activities. Let’s look at some best practices for your home and classroom.   

Use your eco-friendly desktop calendar or monthly planner to mark the dates for a recycling schedule. Some cities and towns have curbside pickup, which can significantly help homeowners and schools. Make sure you mark the recycling pickup days for your area in your calendars. If curbside pickup is not an option where you live, scout out local recycling drop-off centers to take all items meant for recycling.   

Do you ever wonder what can be recycled and what should be thrown in the trash? Many of us do. This is where a bit of research can be helpful. For curbside pickup at homes and schools, check out the local government website for recycling rules about what can be accepted and what cannot. It is also important to know if items can be grouped together or if they must be separated. Keep a list in your calendars in case you need a reminder. Depending on your area, you will want to consider the following: 

•  Paper and cardboard

•  Aluminum and tin cans

•  Plastic jugs and bottles

•  Glass

•  Styrofoam and plastic bags

Once you know what can be recycled in your area and how to collect them, you can organize your home or classroom. Maybe you will need individual bins for each type of item, or maybe you will need a lot of big trash bags. Plan ahead by adding these items to your recycling lists marked in your daily planner.   

We set goals for almost everything; recycling does not have to be different. Use your daily, weekly, and monthly calendars to set recycling goals you want to achieve, like using fewer disposable products or bringing reusable bags when shopping. It can sometimes be challenging to know where to start, so break your goals down into smaller, more achievable tasks and schedule them in your calendar to help make them a habit you will always prioritize. Writing your recycling goals down in your calendar will help you stay focused and motivated. It will also be fun to see the progress you make!  

Communities are Working Together 

Many communities schedule special recycling events throughout the year. Look for these events in your area and schedule them in your calendar. As we know, not everything we want to throw away can go in our recycling bins or even our trash bins. We are fortunate to have community members who understand the need for such important yet often tricky disposal. Look for special recycling events for electronic items like televisions and computers, hazardous waste like chemicals and paint cans, and large items like mattresses and furniture. Some communities even have Christmas tree recycling that turns trees into mulch for parks and hiking trails.   

And while we are on the subject of helping our communities with recycling efforts, you can also get involved by volunteering at events, at local clean-ups, or at recycling centers.   

Tracking your carbon footprint is a term we notice, but we may not know what it entails for our recycling efforts. Our eco-friendly calendars are useful for monitoring how we want to reduce our carbon footprint by changing our daily habits. For one month, you might set a goal of reducing energy consumption, like adjusting your thermostat a few degrees warmer or colder, depending on the weather. Transportation also factors into our carbon footprint. Mark dates in your calendar when you know you can walk or bike to work. These small changes can make a big impact on the environment. Use your daily planner or desktop calendar to track your energy consumption, transportation habits, and waste reduction efforts to lessen your carbon footprint.   

Recycling Efforts in the Classroom  

Remember that recycling habits can be taught at a very young age. Kids will mimic what their grown-ups do, so introduce recycling as part of classroom activities. Lessons about recycling can be incorporated into lesson plans for mathematics, science, and language arts. Students can learn about weights and other measurements during math instruction. There are numerous ways to include information about recycling in science lessons, like tracking weather patterns that influence fossil fuel consumption or planting a flower garden that attracts honeybees. Use language arts spelling tests for learning recycling vocabulary. Ask students to contribute their ideas to reinforce the importance of these initiatives.   

Using eco-friendly daily, weekly, and monthly calendars to manage your home and classroom recycling efforts can help protect the environment while staying organized and on track with your goals. Get started today to make your springtime cleaner and greener!