I've been thinking, schools are one of the greatest contributors to paper waste in America. So what if every school recycled? The impact would be amazing.

So I have an idea - but I'm kinda stuck on how to get started. Ideas?

thats awsome, its really hard sometimes to get a school to listen to its students about issues like this. i know my old highschool was like that anyway. im in college now and me and my friends along with some other help got a recycling program started for cans and bottles and paper. the one problem i have is i would like to see the school use recycled paper as well as recycling old paper so maybe this would be a good idea for you and anyone who is taking action with your school to recycle. push them to use recycled products as well. but good luck because a lot of those superintendent types are pretty thick headed. in my experiences anyway.

Just an update:

After a meeting with principal, and bombarding him afterwards with emails, I have succesfully started the recycling program.

Thanks for all your help!

most schools already recycle

My school doesn't recycle, and i was just thinking about this! I was thinking that when school starts again in the fall to write a letter to the principal or the dean saying that our school should recycle and include facts about how it helps the enviornment.

Also, my friend wrote a paper about this last year. One of the facts in her paper was that schools can actually get paid to recycle. Maybe you can look that up and use that to help motivate more schools to recycle.

first, collect a tiny group of supporters who u knoiw will work
then make fliers saying how everyone can recycle,etc
u can go door-to-door in your neighbourhood and also tell them what they can do
speak to your teachers about what u plan to do(how u want your school to recycle[u can use only recycled sheets,use both sides of the paper,no plastic,use less paper bags in the cafeteria,etc])..speak to your principal if your teacher agrees,form a club in your school who find new ways to recycle and who actually go about recycling
here's an idea: why dont u ask your cafeteria to use newspaper bags to put food in instead of the brown paper ones(u and your school can make loads if u'll get together)
all the best

Does your school recycle? If not, start there.

For me, every school I went to had a recycling in every room and encouraged it. Sometimes that's as far as you can go, though. Some people will not recycle even if it's all that there is or greatly encouraged. You can't force people to do what they don't want to.