Recycler was a Brownie Try-It from the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.
Brownies[]
Complete 4 activities, including 1 "Take Action" activity.
Juniors []
Complete 6 activities, including 1 "Take Action" activity.
Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors []
Complete 8 activities, including 2 "Take Action" activities.
Discover[]
1) Locate recycle centers in your area. How did they begin? What materials do they accept? What is the average amount received of each material? Do the workers volunteer? If not, who pays them? Plan a visit to one of the centers.
2) Locate a large business in your area and find out if they participate in a recycle program. If yes, what kind of materials? If not, why?
3) Find out what types of materials are recycled in the United States. How much of each type? How and when did the US become involved in recycling?
4) Many types of roadside trash are recyclable. How long does it take for these items to biodegrade?
Connect[]
1) Keep a journal of the number of plastics, newspapers, cardboard boxes, aluminum cans, and glass bottles your family uses in one week. By multiplying, find out how much your family consumes in a month, a year and a lifetime.
2) Create a game or skit dealing with recycling. Perform with a group. Or, create posters to display.
3) Visit a local landfill. Do they have a recycle center? See what happens to all the waste that is not recycled. What laws are in place for maintaining a landfill? Interview a staff member of a landfill to learn more about costs, how separation is done, what happens to the soil, the history of landfill and any other topics of interest. Share your findings with another troop or a local organization.
4) Choose an item and follow it from trash to treasure. Record the process from the time an item is turned over for recycling until it is another usable item.
5) Do a craft or science night where you use recyclable materials.
Take Action[]
1) Set up recycle stations at home. They might be mixed paper, newsprint, tin or aluminum cans or plastic. Ask your family to join you in using these stations for two months. Deposit your collected materials at a recycling depot.
2) Talk about two examples of places (for example in schools, workplaces, stores) where you have noticed that recycling could be implemented. Figure out some particular ways that this could happen. Write to that company and share your ideas or suggestions.
3) If your town does not already have a recycling program, create a presentation from some of the things you discovered while learning about recycling and ask to speak with your city council or county commissioners about starting a recycling program.
| Award | Level |
|---|---|
| Bronze Award | The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Junior can achieve. As you and your team plan and complete your project, you'll meet new people and have the kind of fun that happens when you work with other Girl Scouts to make a difference. |
| Silver Award | Going for the Girl Scout Silver Award—the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn—gives you the chance to do big things and make your community better in the process. |
| Gold Award | The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. It is awarded to Girl Scout Seniors or Ambassadors who complete a project that will make a lasting difference in the world. |