The message is simple: Trash is a terrible thing to waste.
That's why three dozen members of American Lakes School's "Green Team" went classroom-to-classroom every Friday this year, gathering paper, cardboard, plastic and other such items to empty into a giant recycling bin in front of the school.
"They're just amazing kids and it really brings out the best in all of us," said teacher Cynthia Westbrook, who helped launch the Green Team four years ago and has seen it grow into a formidable force.
About 8 tons of paper, plastic and other such materials were rerouted this year, she said. The kids also earned prizes by recycling ink cartridges and juice pouches. They bought gloves with money raised by gathering cans and bottles. A separate fundraising project raised about $600 for a Green Team field trip to Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Carmichael.
Throughout Natomas Unified, schools were encouraged to recycle this year. Bins for that purpose were delivered district-wide during Spring Recess. The goal is to reduce waste generated, educate students on the importance of recycling, and ultimately to reduce the District's carbon footprint.
Westbrook said that members of American Lakes' Green Team learned about recycling by doing it. They also discussed how numerous landfills are filling up, how some products don't decompose easily, how massive amounts of plastics are ending up in the ocean - and the danger that poses to wildlife.
"They're learning that, wow, this is something that needs to be changed," Westbrook said of mixing recyclables with trash.
Principal Suzen Holtemann said a $600 donation from donorschoose.org provided seed money to launch the Green Team in 2011.
"It's a joy to see the excitement the Green Team displays as they work collecting recyclables, making small notebooks from good paper, cleaning the school grounds, and collecting and washing juice pouches for mailing," Holtemann said. "The Green Team is now responsible for rerouting about 32 tons of recycles over the past four years. Keep up the great work, Green Team!"
Westbrook said the class-by-class recycling began after she showed students pictures of the environmental consequences of unrecycled plastics and other products. "What do you want to change?" she recalled asking. "And they decided, 'Well, what we can start with is our school.'"
Lizbeth, 10, said she practices at home what the Green Team promotes at school. "I recycle bottles, papers and other things," she said.
Jesus, 12, said the Green Team makes a difference by "helping nature and the animals in the ocean."
Bryana, 10, said she's not surprised that 36 students would stay after school for a good cause, Green Team. "It's helping other people," she said.
