In the United States, the number of Americans who are recycling is steadily increasing. In 2012, it is estimated that 34.5 million tons of materials were recycled (according to epa.gov). However, there is still confusion on what to recycle; things that should be recycled are being thrown away, and things that should be thrown away are being recycled.

Here at Imagine Prep, high school teacher Megan Werner and CrewMe2We are trying to change that.

Imagine Prep started recycling around seven years ago. Werner explained that it has been an on and off recycling program since she started working here.

“It’s been a hit and miss,” Werner said. “The first two years I worked here, it was only paper recycling. The paper recycling company decided not to serve Surprise anymore. We went two years without recycling. I pitched to Mr. McComb to work with waste management to modify the number of trash and recycling pickup. Many of the items that come from the school are recyclable. We can get rid of one trash pickup and replace it with recycle. He agreed and we’ve had recycling ever since.”

This year, CrewMe2We, a club Werner runs, began collecting the recycling every Tuesday after school because recycling wasn’t being disposed of properly.

“Honestly, recycling was a task that was given to the night cleaning crew,” Werner said. “It turns out they were throwing the recyclable materials in the trash rather than recycling. That was a problem that was identified by the administration and myself. Ultimately we decided to take back the recycling collection to make sure it goes in the proper place, and so that way students have a community service/ service learning hours.”

Werner feels that everyone should recycle in order to help the planet.

“Why shouldn’t they,” Werner said. “We all live on the same planet, resources that are vital for survival are not replaceable. We can’t replace the water that we are consuming. A lot of issues like trash are buried rather than being taken care of in an appropriate way. We are burying trash under the soil, what do you think that does to that soil? We are depleting our home. Everyone lives here, we should be taking care of it.”

Sophomore Daniela Estrada is one of the students in CrewMe2We who collect the recycling every Tuesday after school. She thinks that there are some things that kids kids accidentally recycle that should actually go in the trash.

“Food wrappers and actual food is something that I normally see in the recycle,” Estrada said. “I want Imagine Prep students to know it does make a difference when you recycle. There is a difference between trash and what’s recyclable.”

Brynn Carlson, 10th grader at Imagine Prep, joined CrewMe2We in Aug. 2017. She explained that it isn’t difficult to recycle.

“I always see food, and food wrappers,” Carlson said. “One time there was a clock and a clump of hair. Please do it [recycle] right. Most of the time the recycle bin is right next to the trash can.”

Every time recycle is collected the members of CrewMe2We checks off anything that was found in the recycle that shouldn’t be in there. You can find these taped on the doors of your teachers classrooms.

Things that are not recyclable:

1. Food and Food wrappers
2. Styrafoam
3. Plates with food residue
4. Tissues
5. Plastic bottles that still have liquid in it
6. Clocks
7. Desk parts

So be watchful of what you throw in the recycle bin.