Recycling

General websites

Here are some reliable websites that will help you understand what recycling means and what can be recycled. There are also websites with facts about recycling and some fun activities.

Ducksters

This is a fun, educational website with information that's easy understand. The articles have been taken from a few different places.

• Choose Science from the topics on the home page and then the Environment tab.
• Scroll down the page to find Recycling listed under Environmental Issues.
• You will find what recycling means, why it's a good thing, how the recycling loop works and other interesting facts.
• You can also use the search bar at the very top of the page to find more information about recycling.

Tips: Websites that have .com or .co in the address can have good information, but you need to assess how reliable it is. Check the About link on the website, if you can find one. That will tell you what the company’s mission and values are.

Britannica School Primary

Britannica is part of EPIC, a collection of reliable websites covering lots of different topics. It has been put together especially for New Zealand school students and helps to answer questions on recycling.

• Use keywords like ‘recycling’ to bring up the article about it, plus a picture and a video.
• This information is at Reading Level 1 which means it is at a primary level.
• Select Reading Level 2 at the top of the page to find more articles, images, videos and recommended websites on recycling. This information is at a slightly higher reading level.

Tips: To get to the EPIC resources you will need a password from your school librarian first. Or you can chat with one of our AnyQuestions librarians between 1 and 6 pm Monday to Friday and they will help you online. Some EPIC databases may also be available through your public library.

Climate Kids (NASA)

NASA is an overseas government organisation that is famous for space exploration. This website is made by the Earth Science Communications Team at NASA.

• Enter the keyword 'recycle’ in the search bar at the top of the page.
• Select Recycle this from the results to find a fun game on recyclables, facts on recycling and an activity on how to make seed paper.
• Choose Recycling Program Educator from the results to read an interview with a person who does educational events about recycling.

Tips: Search words, or keywords, are the most important words in our question. We can always change our keywords or add more if we need to.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

This site is supported by the National Institute of Health which is a United States government service. It is an information and education resource specially meant for schools.

• Scroll down the page and select Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
• Read the link on Compact Fluorescent Lights to understand what CFLs are and how to recycle them.
• Click on Recycle to get a list of items that can be recycled.
• You can also click on Vermicomposting to learn how worms recycle food waste.

Tips: A website’s address (URL) can give you a hint about how reliable it is. Look for addresses in the results that include .gov or .edu in the URL. These are quality sites from overseas government or educational organisations.

New Zealand websites

There are also some great websites about recycling in New Zealand. Many of these sites are written for adults, but some have information especially for students.

Recycle.co.nz

This website explains why recycling is important and how we can help to make New Zealand waste free.

• Can it be recycled includes an up-to-date list of what can be recycled in New Zealand.
• Recycling is easy has resources for kids, teachers and parents. This includes posters, how to make a worm farm and other activities.
• We are the solution has guidelines on recycling from local councils from around New Zealand.

Tips: Websites that have .com or .co in the address can have good information, but you need to check how reliable it is. This website is sponsored by Reclaim. Check their Our values link on the home page. This will tell you what the company’s mission and values are.

Make the most of waste

Managed by Auckland Council, this site is about recycling, composting food waste, reusing items and preventing waste, which means sending as little as possible to landfills. Look under Recycling to find useful articles and videos.

• Watch Why recycle? for a short explanation about why people recycle.
• Explore What happens to my recycling? to find out more about the process.
• You can also read about How many times things can be recycled.
• Open Recycling Guides to find quick guides to recycling in different languages.
• Inorganic collection has more guides and videos on what can and cannot be recycled by this council.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful

This charitable trust organisation is dedicated to keeping our communities clean, safe and beautiful. Go to the Resources tab to find:

• the section called Kids & Schools, which has lots of links for teachers and students, including
• a link to the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Story about how Tidy kiwi does the right thing.

Tips: Remember to check the About us link on the website, if you can find one. That can tell you what the organisation’s mission and values are.

Kidspot

Find lots of fun activities for kids on the Kidspot website, which was made for New Zealand parents and caregivers.

• Search for 'recycling' using the search box at the top of the page and you will get lots of links to explore.
• Make a homemade bowling alley and Make a milk carton car are two examples.
• Most of the activities come with a cool how-to video.
• The link Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is good to explore if you need recycling tips for around the house or the garden.

Tips: This website has some advertising as well as lots of information - it's best to concentrate on finding the information we're looking for. Check the About Kidspot link at the end of the page to find out what the mission and values are for this site.

Books

There are many books written about recycling. Check out your local public library or school library to see what they have.

Some recommended titles are:

• What can we do about trash and recycling? by Lorijo Metz.
• The adventures of a plastic bottle : a story about recycling by Alison Inches
  
• Recycling things to make and do by Emily Bone and Leonie Pratt
  
• Christopher's bicycle : a tale of cycling and recycling! by Charlotte Middleton
  
• Munkle Arvur and the Bod by Nikki Slade Robinson.

SCIS no: 1832263