At their core, the environmental problems we face are not difficult to understand:

• If you make a mess, clean it up.
• If you use up everything now, you won't have anything left for later.
• If something is bad for you, avoid it.

These days, it's almost impossible for school-age kids not to know at least something about climate change, sustainability and environmental health. Not surprisingly, given the polarizing media attention given to these problems, some students can be apprehensive about the future of the planet.

However, most students — particularly in younger grades —  are anxious to be part of the solution, and school recycling programs provide a great opportunity to encourage and support children's natural instincts to "do the right thing."

Resources:

The Green Schools Initiative has a nice web page called "7 Steps to Green Your School" which includes many useful ideas for getting students involved in – and even running – school environmental programs. The information was adapted from the international organization eco-schools.org, based in Denmark.

The Fairview Middle School in Fairview, TN developed a unique program to involve special needs students in their prize-winning recycling program.