10 ways to get kids involved in drink container recycling

o get kids interested in recycling, the trick is to get them involved in the process. Teach the next generation about drink container recycling and the impact it can have on the planet. Getting them to learn about the environment and sustainability in an enjoyable and interactive way can help inspire future resource revolutionaries.

Helping the environment, with the added benefits of earning some pocket money, can be great fun for kids! Here are our tips on getting kids excited about and involved in recycling their empty drink containers:

1. Children in charge: Make the kids responsible for recycling your household’s bottles and cans, and keep special storage boxes for everything collected.
2. Recycling conversations: Talk about which kinds of drink containers are recyclable, which kinds of materials they are made of, and how they get recycled in your local area.
3. Collect even more: Ask family, friends and neighbors if the kids can collect their containers for them.
4. Community clean-up: Go on walks in the community to pick up containers and other litter (make sure to bring gloves and hand sanitizer, and follow local guidelines).
5. Returning containers: Bring the kids with you when returning the containers to a reverse vending machine, so that they get first-hand experience and feel they are contributing to a healthier planet.

6. Share the rewards: Consider letting them keep part (or all) of the deposit refunds, to keep them motivated! Discuss with them what they would like to save their recycling money for.
7. Start donating: Give kids the option of donating all or part of their container refunds to charity. Talk to them about the charities and what they do, so they better understand the impact of their recycling donation.
8. Make the most of myTOMRA: If myTOMRA is available in your region, use the app to track the number of containers collected and the money earned, to celebrate their recycling achievements.
9. Track your success: In regions without the myTOMRA app, use your own system (perhaps a chart at home) to count the containers and make a note of kids' earnings after each recycling trip. Add fun stickers for container collection milestones, so that they feel recognized and rewarded for their good work.
10. Game on!: Involve the kids in games about different kinds of recycling. It could be digital games, outdoor play, DIY projects – be creative! You could play recycling bingo, have a “Which bin does it belong in” quiz, play bottle bowling or go on a scavenger hunt for recyclable items.

Kids hold the future of our planet in their hands, and by educating them early we can help foster a generation of enthusiastic environmentalists who understand how important it is to protect our planet. Every person can help make a difference and every bottle or can recycled means that one less has to be made out of raw materials, and one less ends up as litter or landfill. Little steps to help build good habits; teach your kids to be good recyclers today, so they can keep recycling in the future.