Located inside Prescott Gateway Mall | Northwest end
Hwy 69 & Gateway Blvd | Prescott, Arizona
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Recycling

Recycle-Upcycle Activities and Facts

Recycling Activities and Facts

Recycle-Upcycle Activities and Facts Recycling Activities and Facts

  • Talk about the natural resources we use from our environment and how overuse creates unsafe and inappropriate systems for animals (cutting the rainforests to harvest wood leaves empty areas for the animals who thrive in this biosystem)
  • Clean out some of the areas in your home with your child: closets, junk draws, cabinets, toy shelves. Have your child help organize what to do with the items: donate, share, make something new.
  • Take a morning and go on a litter hike. Select an area near your home or a natural setting such as a trail or park. Provide your child with a trash bag and gloves so you can collect some of the trash left by others. Recycle any materials that can be such as plastic bottles, cans, etc.
  • Make a poster with your child for your home reminding each person about the items that were once trash that can now be recycled or upcycled. Design your own recycle center in an area where your child can be the Captain of Cycling.
  • Purchase your children’s toys and clothes at resale shops and share your old items with the store. Help your child understand that not everything must be new and that things can be reused to save our planet.
  • Clean out a junk draw, craft area or visit a resale shop searching for items that can be used to make homemade gifts for relatives. Children love to create and use their imagination and family will enjoy something made especially for them!
  • Join a community club or special event for clean- up. Help groups like a senior home, the hospital, or school clean up the area around the building.
  • Have your child start a neighborhood or friends clean up crew with a special name and a certain time to meet each month to attack a job in town.
  • Study the facts about recycling here, online, or at the library. Have your child share the information with friends through email, cards, letters, or meetings.
  • With your child take some old clothing that he/she has outgrown. Turn it into a new blanket or a fine jacket or sweater. Or make a lap blanket for grandma.

Share the Facts with Kids

  • The garbage in a landfill remains for about 30 years
  • Each person throws away almost four pounds of garbage every day
  • Most families toss about 88 pounds of plastic every year
  • Each person uses about 12,000 gallons of water every year
  • Each gallon of car fuel puts 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air
  • The energy saved when we recycle one glass bottle can light a traditional light bulb for four hours
  • Every 2000 pounds of paper (1 ton) recycled, saves 7,000 gallons of water free from chemicals
  • Recycled paper requires 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood
  • The amount of wood and paper currently thrown away is enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years
  • Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees
  • About 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped into the oceans each year
  • Around 84 percent of household waste can be recycled or upcycled

How much water do we use everyday?

  • 3-7 gallons for toilet
  • 25-30 gallons for tub
  • 50-70 gallons for a 10 minute shower
  • 1 washing machine load uses 25-40 gallons
  • 1 dishwasher load uses 9-12 gallons
  • How long does it take from some things to break down on earth?
  • plastics take 500 years
  • aluminum cans take 500 years
  • organic materials, take 6 months
  • cotton, rags, paper take 6 months

What can we do?

At Home:
  • Dress warmer and wear more clothing to use less heat
  • Dress cooler and wear less clothing to reduce air conditioning consumption
  • Close doors and windows tight, so temperature remains constant
  • Turn of lights off right after you finish with them
  • Use natural daylight as much as possible
In the Kitchen:
  • Turn off lights and appliances after using them
  • Don't open the refrigerator door more than is needed
  • Use cloth napkins instead of paper for towels, napkins etc.
  • Use regular dishes instead of paper or plastic disposables
  • Wash many things in the sink or dishwasher at the same time
Use of Water:
  • Shut the water off tight after use
  • Don't run water while brushing teeth
  • Take short showers
  • Take baths instead of showers
  • Collect rain water to water your garden and house plants
At Play:
  • Read books instead of watching TV or playing computer games
  • Don't leave computers, televisions or other electronics on of not using
For Trash:
  • Use recycle bins to separate trash
  • Recycle junk mail, paper towel rolls, boxes, and other containers