Tell Recycle Now how you encourage your DCs to recycle for a chance to win an iPad mini! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We are all aware of the importance of recycling, but it can be easy to forget when we’re all so busy browsing MN threads. Recycle Now has teamed up with Wastebuster to launch a campaign to encourage more families to recycle more items, more often. They would like to hear how you encourage your DCs to recycle and for you to take part in their Home Recycling Challenge.

Here’s what Recycle Now has to say: “To help kids recycle more at home, we’ve created the Home Recycling Challenge, which includes the chance to win great prizes. Here’s how you and your family can take part:

Step 1 – visit wastebuster.co.uk/homerecyclingchallenge and download the competition sheet/ recycling poster template

Step 2 – use the recycling locator with your kids to find out what can and can’t be recycled in your area and use this information to fill in the blanks and decorate on your poster

Step 3 – stick the poster up in your home and take a family selfie

Step 4 – upload your photo to the Recycling Hero Hall of Fame to be in with a shot of winning some great prizes!

Every family has a different routine, and we want to hear about how you teach your kids good recycling habits that they can take forward into later life. Did you know that you can recycle bleach bottles, shampoo bottles, kitchen cleaner bottles, baby food jars, aerosol deodorants, face cream pots and dishwasher tablet boxes?”

Have a look at their video here

So how do you get your DC to recycle at home? Maybe you make a game of it by seeing who can recycle the most? Perhaps you make it easier to sort by having stickered bins? Do you take it in turns or is it one person’s job? Or do you give your DC rewards for recycling?

Please share on this thread how you encourage your DCs to recycle below and you will be entered into the prize draw to where one winner will win an iPad mini.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T and Cs Apply

I get them to help me seperate everything then make it a game so they get to recycle things in the correct way

We have a recyc bin in the kitchen, and a food compost bin and a charity bag in the hall. We all talk about recycling, what we can recyc and what we can do with non recyclable items eg send to the charity shop, reuse or upcycle in some way, with the general bin being the last resort.

My 7 year old son is chief recycler in our house and helps my two year old to know where different types of recycling go. We reuse lots of cardboard boxes for crafting too so they see saving packaging as the start of a new creative project!

My son (10) doesn't need any reminders to recycle. He is on the eco committee at school and ensures that the whole family plays its part,

We have three different bins for sorting out the rubbish from the recycling & garden stuff. I encourage my children to sort everything out into the correct bins and tell them how important it is to recycle

We are lucky as our Council lets us recycle just about everything except food waste (we don't have much but have a compost bin in the garden. Our green bin is always fit to burst come bin day (fortnightly collection).

My son is very good at recycling, brings all his bottles and cans down from bedroom and.if he's not sure if something is recyclable he will ask rather than just put it in the black bin.

We also reuse paper if it is used on one side only and I also reuse envelopes for shopping lists and put any coupons I've got inside.

Recycling has been a big thing in our house and is reinforced at school too. Not much makes it into the recycling bin though, most of it ends up in the junk modelling box.

We have two bins in the kitchen and my three year old just loves putting things into containers anyway so asking hi to put something in the recycling is just as exciting as putting it in the bin. I've started to touch on the subject of what recycling actually is as well and he seems quite taken with the idea.

Before my kids put anything in the bin they ask me what bin to put it in. They only have to ask me occasionally now as they,earns what waste goes where

I really don't have any problem getting either of our to recycle. They both see themselves as super environmantal.
However, It's virtually impossible to get them to follow the exact rules of the recycling bins though. Lids off bottles, plastic off cardboard, containers cleaned etc. Never happens.
Having said that, looking at other peoples bins, hardly anybody segregates thier rubbish thoroughly.

They help by putting stuff in recycling pile but tbh that's as far as it goes.

We will be getting a second bin and they can help make a poster for it. We'll progress on to sorting it too now they are older. I think as long as we keep tins separate it'll be safe enough to do.

I want to start teaching them to reduce waste by looking at packaging too

We have two seperate bins for recycling. We leave it on the kitchen side then they love sorting into the correct bins (I have to do the food caddy though, they draw the line there :-))

It's quite tricky to get my dc to remember to recycle all the time but he certainly does his best. I think learning so much about it at school has helped and the fact that so many public spaces now have separate recycling bins to use.
We always recycle his small clothes either in the fabric recycling bin at the supermarket or by donating to charity so he is very familiar with this idea.

My kids always separate out their rubbish and put it in the correct bin. It is something they have always done and comes as second nature.
Before they dispose of anything I encourage them to think of any other use it may have or if it may be useful to someone else.

Weve always recycled and DD doesn't know any different, it's just how we dispose of rubbish.

Theyve seen videos of what happens to things we recycle and they love imagining what their rubbish will be recycled into

We have certain boxes for each recyclable category and once they are full, the kids get a treat each, it really works and also explaining the concept of recycling. Ive also taken them to visit the dump where they can see what happens to it all.

Try t explain to them about the environment and how important it is for everyone to do their bit

They are very good at recycling and do it without coaxing or having to be told. It's second nature to them. They know what colour bins for plastics, tins, paper, garden waste etc and are keen to put waste in the correct bins.

I always tell them that I am recycling and ask them to put things in the recycling bin. It is their dad that is the worst! I am forever checking what he has put in the recycling bag / bin and moving it to the normal bin!!

Mine know that batteries and plastics don't go in the green bin. We have a special tub for 'fancy' recyclables that we take to various recycling bins and skips when we're passing.

We have a composter and compost everything we can, the kids love to get involved in the gardening and see how the composter works. We also give pocket money boosters for recycling

The recycling challenge is a fun idea!

We are quite good at recycling and have separate bins. DD is only 4 but does ask if she isn't sure. We stick pictures on the inside of the cupboards where the bins are to make it clear about what goes in which.

We do a lot on making environmentaly friendly choices too like choosing options with less packaging in the first place.

We have a double bin in the kitchen - waste and recycling (bottles, tins, glass) and a paper box and a compost bin. The children now automatically put things in the correct place and ask if they don't know about an item.

I talk with them about how all the things in the recycling boxes would fill up the main bin and the landfill sites otherwise.