One New Jersey school taught children the importance of protecting the planet through recycling! Through participation in the Entenmann’s Little Bites® Pouch Recycling Program, a free, national recycling program powered by us at TerraCycle, Catherine E. Doyle Elementary School in Wood-Ridge, NJ created lasting habits students, parents, and staff can carry forward.
Collecting in the program since Earth Day 2015, the school is today recognized as a top collector in the Entenmann’s Little Bites® Pouch Recycling Program with approximately 25,000 snack pouches sent in for recycling so far!
How did this school achieve such a significant milestone, and how can we apply their learnings to recycling at home? Now’s the time to identify the opportunity to make a change, educate tomorrow’s leaders, and choose, over and over, to keep on recycling during COVID-19.
Mr. Anthony Albro, Principal at Catherine E. Doyle Elementary School (which serves 400 students Pre-K through Grade 3), explains, “First off, the product itself is very popular in our school; the variety of flavors, and the serving size, are pleasing to our students.”
In general, taking stock of the items you buy at the supermarket will give you an idea of what TerraCycle recycling programs might work for you. A big fan of the Little Bites®, getting started with the Entenmann’s recycling program made sense for the school. If you or your friends and family also enjoy these snack pouches, you can also recycle them through the program for free.
Thinking about the why of recycling can also help motivate children and family members to collect items for recycling. “We explained to the children our efforts to recycle would make our garbage bags smaller and easier for our custodians to carry and allow the actual packages to be positively reused,” Mr. Albro continued.
“We also tried to explain that some items we were accustomed to throwing away in the trash can both serve another use in society and diminish the trash that is collected.” Understanding the impacts we have on the planet, and the power our actions have to make a difference, can be a truly inspiring force that turns at-home recycling into a mission to save the world.
Through the TerraCycle points program, you can also make recycling fun and rewarding by turning it into a game. Set a goal for the amount or number of pouches you want to collect, or points you would like to redeem for charity. Then, figure out how much you need to ship in order to donate a certain amount for charity. Every 100 points equals $1; Catherine E. Doyle Elementary, like many schools, redeemed the points for their school.
Giving kids recycling “jobs” can be another motivator. Each class at Catherine E. Doyle Elementary School had students assigned to collect the pouches during class snack periods, and children also independently placed their pouches in our receptacles during lunch periods. At home, try making it part of daily chores to check in on the bins.
In conclusion? While the changing seasons look a bit different this year, coming together to protect the environment is a way to create a sense of community, engage and educate children, and protect the planet for future generations. Keep collecting at home and share photos and insights through chat and social.
“We enjoy doing it. Our school loves to pitch in for common goals and themes…This type of activity is understood and practiced by our young students daily, and we hope that it is followed through at home, as well.”
Thanks to collectors like Catherine E. Doyle Elementary School, the Entenmann’s Little Bites® Pouch Recycling Program has saved nearly 6,000,000 pouches from landfills and donated nearly $90,000 to schools and charities.
Help us keep it up and keep on recycling! Stay safe and healthy by following the guidance of the CDC and your local governments when recycling remote or in-person through the national network off drop-off points.
Inspired? Learn more about the Entenmann’s Little Bites Pouch Recycling Program here.