Join us in learning about the R’s of managing waste: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. Learn how others are taking action and how you can reduce waste in your own home and community.
Video
Recycling is a great way to dispose of waste that cannot be refused, reduced, reused, or repurposed. Samantha from St. Louis City Recycles shares which items can be recycled and which ones really need to be sent to the landfill.
Interview with St. Louis City Recycles
Outdoor Activity
Head outside and help clean up your own neighborhood and parks. Please follow all safety regulations in your area and remember to bring your gloves or trash picker and a trash bag. Cleaning up your community is a great way to keep our neighborhoods and ecosystems healthy.
If you want to contribute to a citizen science project while cleaning, download and use the Marine Debris Tracker. This application lets you mark the type of litter you collect and its location so that scientists can use that data as they study pollution.
Book Recommendation
Picture Book: Choose to Reuse by Lisa Bullard
For Older Campers: The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard
Teens Who Changed the World
Melati and Isabel Wijsen are two sisters that were determined to stop the use of plastic bags from polluting their island home in Bali, Indonesia. Their activism lead to the island’s commitment to enforce a plastic bag-free Bali by 2018, and in 2019, a bill was instated that completely prohibited the use of Styrofoam, plastic bags, and plastic straws. Check out their TED Talk to learn more about their journey.
Melati and Isabel Wijsen's TED Talk
The Saint Louis Zoo has always taken their commitment to conservation and sustainability very seriously, and one of the ways they have upheld that commitment is by saying #byetobags, a program powered by the Zoo ALIVE Teen Volunteers. Check out #byetobags to learn more about their campaign against the use of plastic bags and how your contribution to the movement could make a big difference!