Why do we recycle?

By N & C (Grade 5)

We recycle because it helps the earth. When we don't, our trash goes into something called landfill. Trash is either burned or buried under the earth. If everything we recycled went into landfill, there would probably be no earth left without trash in it. Recycling reduces our trash. For example, used paper can be recycled and made into new paper. We are going to tell you when, where, and what to recycle.

There are different times when it's ok to recycle. Have you ever heard of wish cycling? This is when you want to recycle something, but it can’t really be recycled. You wish you could recycle it because you want to help the earth, but the item can’t be recycled, and it just clogs up the recycling system. For example, many people put plastic bags and styrofoam cups in their green bins, but the city just puts them in the landfill. By wish cycling you're making it harder to help the earth. But if you have something that really can be recycled, then put it in the green bin and help the earth!

Recycling is really good for the earth. But be aware! You might recycle the wrong thing! So we decided to make a chart of what you can recycle in Newton: 

Recycling List