Every day, we use all sorts of things made of different materials, like plastic, that can harm the earth if they are not properly disposed of. Many things like metal and even glass do not naturally degrade or break down over time. Instead they can sit in a landfill or forest for many years, causing serious harm to the environment. A good way to help make sure you are living in a cleaner, greener world is to recycle the things you can, so they can be re-used again and remain out of the water, ground, and even out of the local dump. By properly recycling different items, like appliances, soda cans, water bottles, and old computers, you can help make sure that the air and water stay cleaner and that animal and plant life will survive and thrive. The more you learn about recycling, the more you'll appreciate how it can help to ensure that our earth is clean for many generations to come.

Recycle This!

This game from NASA lets you use a virtualairbursttool to put items into the recycle bin before they fall into the trash. There are also some fast facts about recycling on this page.

Recycling List

Read this page for a quick list of all the things you can recycle from home and school to help make the world a better place.

Recycle City

Check out recycle city to learn more about how you can reduce waste. There are also some fun games you can play here including thedumptowngame and the recycle city challenge by clicking the link to the right.

Recycle Roundup

Play this game from National Geographic to help you decide which items can be recycled, composted, or thrown in the trash.

The Zero Waste Game

This challenging interactive quiz will teach you how to reduce and eliminate waste for a greener place to live.

EekoWorld

Click here to watch a kid-friendly video all about recycling. There are also links to more information and other environmental issues like plants and animals and the future.

Bird Feeder Craft Project

Learn how to make your very own bird feeder out of a plastic milk jug or soda bottle. You can recycle things by making new objects out of old ones, and this craft will show you a good example.

Recycling Aluminum

Aluminum is a popular metal that can easily be recycled. Click here to learn more about how aluminum is recycled and what it is used for.

Why Recycle?

This video talks about why you should recycle, and there are also some reasons listed below the video to explain how recycling can help both people and the environment.

Lesson Plans

There are several excellent lesson plans here for younger students all about recycling. You can try these in the classroom and at home.

Three Remarkable R's

This page will explain more about three remarkable r's: reduce, reuse, and recycle so you can understand how each helps the environment stay clean.

Recycling Coloring Book (PDF)

Print out this PDF filled with fun images for you to color, all dedicated to recycling and how important it is.

Recycling Facts

Click on each of the blue boxes to find out where you trash goes after you throw it away, what items you can recycle, how recycling works, and much more.

Recycling Starts with You (PDF)

This printable PDF discusses how you can start recycling and has some activities about recycling paper including how you can make your very own paper at school or at home.

Recycling Appliances

Click this link to find out why recycling appliances is helpful to the environment and for industries with this colorful infographic.

8 Recipes for Reuse

On this page, you will find eight different "recipes" or crafts that will show you how to reuse the things you have at home and turn them into a new item you can use every day.

Recycling WWII

This page has a brief, interesting story about how people across America began to recycle materials like glass and metal during World War II to help in the war effort.

What are we Wasting?

This link takes you to an infographic all about the different materials we are wasting, how they impact the environment, and how recycling can help reduce waste.

Thrifty Threads

Play this fun game to recycle old clothes and make them new again. It's a good way to understand the concept of recycling old things and reusing them instead of throwing them away.

The Recycle Movie

Watch this short movie made by a middle school class that talks about the importance of recycling and how you can make a difference.

Trash to Treasures for the Holidays

This page is filled with great ideas about how you can turn everyday items and even trash into something special during the holiday season and help to reduce excess trash and waste.

Recycling Word Search

You can print out this fun word search and see how many recycling-related words you and your friends or classmates can find.

Recycling Facts, Games, and Crafts (PDF)

This PDF is chock-full of exciting games, crafts, and information all about recycling.

The Recycle Cycle

This web page explains how the recycling cycle works from the time it is collected, through the manufacturing process, and how you can help by buying recycled goods.

Ollie Recycles

See how this character named Ollie and his friends recycle all kinds of different materials that you use almost every day.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Discover more about the 3 r's and what you can do to reduce, reuse, and recycle by clicking on this link.

The Garbology Game

This is an awesome game that shows you how to learn which items go into which bin including trash, compost, recycling, and more with fun animation.

Bottle Cap Locket Craft

Check out this fun craft that shows you how to make a locket necklace out of recycled bottle caps.

Super Sorter Game

This fun game guides you as you learn how to properly sort trash so you can be more aware of which items can be recycled instead of thrown into the trash.

Be a Green Kid

On this web page, you will learn how you can be a green kid, and there is also a quiz at the bottom of the page.

The Recycling Magic Makeover

Here, you can click on the image to see how each item gets a "makeover" and turns into something new after it has been recycled.

11 Facts About Recycling

This page features 11 fun and interesting facts all about recycling.

Carbon Footprint Calculator

On this website, you can enter in different activities to find out just how much the things you do contribute and leave what's called a "carbon footprint" that affects the environment.

What Kids Can Do

Read this web page to learn more about what kids can do to help reduce the use of and recycle plastics.

What Should I Recycle?

Click here for a helpful list of the things you can and should recycle. You can even print it out and put it on the refrigerator so you'll always have it nearby.

A Waste-Free Lunch

This site explains how you can pack a waste-free lunch when you go to school so you won't throw as much trash into the landfill or harm the environment.

Electronic Recycling

This website has lots of resources to help you find a place that recycles electronics like old cell phones, games, televisions, and more.

The Crayon Initiative

This non-profit group has people collect old crayons and they recycle them for children's hospitals. There are also links to find out how you can help recycle your old crayons through the group.

Where do Recycled Items Go?

Learn more about where recycled items end up, read facts, and take the quiz to see how much you've learned.

Recycling: How You Can Help

This page explains some of the things you can do at home, in school, and in your community to help recycle more and produce less waste.