The Columbus Elementary School in Yamhill County, Oregon has launched an effort for reducing waste production by incorporating a green lifestyle into its daily routine. The school has decided to ship its waste materials to a recycling unit and is making tremendous efforts to involve the young students in this process as well.

Columbus Elementary School's Reducing Waste

The Columbus Elementary School is one of the many schools in the US that is trying to reduce its waste production by incorporating an eco-friendly waste disposal system. The school regularly transports its recyclable waste such as juice cans and chocolate wrappers to a recycling unit where these waste materials are used to manufacture new products.

CB Mason, a member of the Columbus PTA, is in charge of this initiative at the school. She collects  waste packages and prepares them for shipping everyday. According to her, this program is not only helping the environment but also inculcating a sense of responsibility in the minds of the students. Having looked at the impact the project has had, she feels that many other institutions are likely to adopt a similar program.

Where Is the Waste Recycled into Eco-Friendly Promotional Items?

The school disposes its waste materials by shipping it to a recycling unit. The recycling unit is managed  by TerraCycle, a re-manufacturing company. This company supports many schools in their efforts to recycle by buying their waste materials. Sometimes, instead of buying waste materials, the company just supplies useful equipment to the schools in exchange for their wastes. For instance, the organization does not buy waste materials from the Columbus Elementary School. It simply exchanges eco-friendly promotional items manufactured by the company, such as green bags, for the wastes. And the school administration presents these recycled products as awards to their students for achievement in sports and extra-curricular activities.

Other Educational Institutions Involved in Reducing Waste

The Grandhaven Elementary School is another school that has been following a similar recycling policy. As a matter of fact, CB Mason was inspired by this school's success story and decided to incorporate this system in Columbus Elementary School as well.

This program has helped Columbus Elementary School in recycling products from aluminum to plastic and has also enabled them to purchase stationery such as pencils, pens, and glue packages. So, the TerraCycle officials are expecting many other schools to adopt this policy, looking at its beneficial effects.

Source: http://www.newsregister.com/article?articleTitle=columbus-students-reduce-reuse-recycle--1351873698--5176--news