Written by Amelie Goacher

The recycling challenge has begun! With a month-long, all-school event from November 15 to December 15, the time for sustainability to shine has arrived. Are you ready to compete for the best sorting of recyclables? Between the Lower, Middle, and Upper school, winning will be no easy feat. As each division strives for first place, this challenge aims to provoke a critical spread of awareness about the importance of proper recycling practices, so far increasing Lower school recycling accuracy to an incredible 88%. By all participating, students, teachers and staff alike are sure to have fun and learn lots, so get excited!

The challenge looks to embrace the competitive spirit at RCDS to enhance the school’s recycling capabilities. It will be monitored weekly, with data collected in each division by analysing the bins around the school. With the competition last year being so close between departments – with a dead tie between the lower and upper school- every last item will count towards victory. Mrs. Simpson, the Lower School Science teacher and Sustainability Coordinator, encouraged each group to “Shoot for the win.” To fuel this friendly competition, here are the mid-way results : the Lower school is winning, the Upper school is in second, and the Middle School in last. But do not worry, there is still time. For first place and for our planet, do your best to be mindful and vigilant of all recycling and trash. As well as the inevitably attractive reward of triumph, recycling also rewards with environmental, economic and community benefits. Recycling can reduce our ecological footprint as it reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. Additionally, it conserves natural resources, which, in turn, prevents pollution and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the need to mine and process new raw materials. Consequently, recycling plays a key role in the regulation of resource production and consumption. It increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials, as well as saving energy by negating the initial processing required for manufacturing. Within the community, recycling supports American manufacturing and conserves valuable resources, as well as creating jobs in these industries. Evidently, the advantages of recycling are endless, and the simplicity of using the correct bin surely makes recycling an essential part of everyday life. 

Awareness is central to this challenge, as it encourages long term improvements in recycling efficiency. To ensure each division is well informed and best able to recycle accurately, clubs help advocate the importance of recycling as well as specific information about which materials can be recycled. Mrs. Simpson’s EARTH club, which stands for Everybody Acts Responsibly To Help the Earth,  have been using “fun visual ways to raise awareness,” she explained, in order to help others join them in their goal to “help the earth.” Leading up to the challenge, a series of interactive activities, such as the “Wheel of Trash” game, have effectively engaged and educated the entire Lower School community. In this game, students spin a wheel featuring various materials. For instance, if the wheel lands on tissues, students make a guess regarding its recyclability. Upon checking, they would discover that tissues are, in fact, not recyclable—a common misconception. However, recycling guidelines and technologies can change over time, complicating this spread of awareness. Distributing updated information about recycling is so important, to “Make sure people have the latest information,” according to Ms. Linderoth, the Upper School Environmental science teacher and Director of Sustainability, acknowledged the struggles of “constantly changing worldwide recycling processes” as a potent obstacle to accurate recycling. Despite this, due to the initiatives in place, there has been a visible increase in this accuracy with “improvements each week throughout the challenge.” This demonstrates the importance of spreading awareness  across the entire RCDS community. Thanks to the Lower School’s Triple R Club, the Middle School’s Green Team, and the Upper School’s Enviro Club, this message couldn’t be clearer; each program advocates this necessity and helps educate our community about recycling’s significance. Co-president of Enviro Club, Anika Bhat, announced their “current goal as a club is to improve recycling and waste management at RCDS through advocacy and showing the community what that looks like.” It is this driving force which makes it possible for RCDS to be so successful in its quest for sustainability. 

Ultimately, though, individual efforts determine the success or shortcomings of any recycling program. Any non-recyclable materials sent to a recycling facility have to get transferred to landfill – an extra trip that could be easily avoided. Even more impactful are things like food waste, which can spoil a whole load of recyclables, and result in additional landfill.  The more waste incorrectly recycled, the more damaging the impact on the environment; this is why common misconceptions about recycling play a critical factor in unnecessary waste, augmenting environmental harm. Evidently, education and awareness of our community on materials, disposables, and recycling are critical. This month especially, we must all take extra care to properly dispose of all waste we produce- an easy way to increase our sustainability. 

Let’s all take on this responsibility, push our recycling abilities to their absolute max, and educate ourselves on the extensive impacts of incorrect recycling. In the spirit of recycling month, let’s not only strive for victory in the challenge but also commit to a lasting impact on our environment. Beyond the competition, try to make recycling a daily habit and help ensure a sustainable future for our planet. May the best recyclers win, and may the collective efforts create a lasting legacy of environmental responsibility at RCDS!