Ask the children what type of things do we recycle? Bottles, paper, newspaper, plastic containers, aluminum cans etc.

Ask them why do we need to recycle? Increasing population and an over reliance on products and packaging leads to too many landfills (there is only so much we can dump in the ground. We need more things that we can reuse more than once.

What are some other good things we can do apart from just recycling? Reuse, reduce and reinvent. These ideas, along with recycling, are very important when it comes to humans looking after the planet.

Reduce: The most effective way of managing waste is not to produce it in the first place. By not buying packaging we save things from being thrown out. Always look out for packaging that is recycled. Buy things from places that use fewer containers or let you use your own recycled ones.

Reuse: This is the continued use of a product in its original form. For example, instead of throwing out your old microwave when you get a new one, you could sell it at a garage sale or trade it in. Try and use containers, plastic bags and newspapers as many times as possible.

Reinvent: This is when you make new, useful things from recyclable objects. For example, using old plastic containers as lunch boxes, making crafts from old boxes and containers, making jewelry boxes from old containers, making original toys and dolls out of unwanted objects or even making costumes from recycled material. Junk isn't always something messy like a banana peel, it can include perfectly useable, clean objects that just no longer serve their original function.

Recycle: Wash, squash and recycle. Fold up old newspapers and tie them together. Make old things into new or different products.

Have a number of objects prepared and ask the student which ones are recyclable. Explain why their answers are right or wrong.

Make paper figurines or origami from scrap paper.

Have a competition to see who can make the coolest thing from ice cream sticks (e.g. a pen holder, model building, fan or photo frame).

Make a poster that shows good ideas for recycling and reducing waste.

Make a jigsaw puzzle out of old, unused items.