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 to 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.
• Look 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 this website. That will tell you what the company’s mission and values are.

BBC Bitesize

This online learning website for students from the UK has lots of helpful learning areas for topics including recycling.

• Go to Search Bitesize at the top right.
• Enter 'recycling'.
• Look down the page for articles on recycling like What happens to products at the end of their useful life?

Tips: The videos on this site do not work in New Zealand but there is still good information that you can read.

Elementary (Gale In Context)

Elementary (Gale in Context) 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.

• Enter 'recycling' in the search bar.
• Choose from articles like Recycling, pictures, videos and more.
• You can also choose different reading levels, by checking the coloured box beside each article.

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.

Britannica School Primary

Britannica is another EPIC resource with information about 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 information, images, videos and recommended websites on recycling.

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.

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 especially for schools.

• Look 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.
• Choose Recycle to get a list of items that can be recycled.
• Go to 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.

Reclaim

This a company that processes materials that can be recycled. Their website has information about why recycling is important, what can be recycled, and how to recycle. It also includes information for recycling in Local Councils around New Zealand.

• Go to the Recycle.co.nz tab.
• Choose Why Recycle? to find out why we need to recycle.
• Or go to What is Recyclable? and Identifying Recyclables to find out about the different types of glass, plastic, e-waste and more that can be recycled.
• From How to recycle choose Residential for quick information and links to council websites about what they can recycle.

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 About us 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.

• Open the tab Recycling to find useful articles and videos.
• Explore What happens to your recycling? to find out more about the process.
• You can also read about How many times things can be recycled.
• Look at the tab Rubbish to find out about Inorganic collection with guides and videos on what can and cannot be recycled by this council.
• Choose the tab Food Scraps to see how Aucklanders are working on disposing of food scraps in different ways.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful

This charitable trust organisation is dedicated to keeping our communities clean, safe and beautiful.

Go to the Resource Hub to find:

• Education Resources for teachers and students, including several Kiki Kiwi Resources.
• Under Programmes you can find out about litter programmes like Kiki Kiwi and friends Litter Less and Clean Up Week.

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

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:

• Recycled paper projects by Marcy Morin and Heidi E Thompson
• Create with Cardboard by Marcy Morin and Heidi E Thompson
• Life cycle of a plastic bottle by Louise Nelson
• Zero waste kids : hands-on projects and activities to reduce, reuse, and recycle by Rob Greenfield
• Where does recycling go? by Charlie W Sterling
• Where does garbage go? by Charlie W Sterling.

SCIS no: 1832263