GrowNYC is committed to recycling in New York City. That's why we recently launched the Public Schools Recycling Champions Program which is working with schools in each borough to establish model recycling programs.

With around 1,600 schools and 1.1 million students, NYC public schools produce a lot of waste. From milk and juice cartons in the cafeteria to old quizzes in the classroom, schools have a tremendous opportunity to reduce their waste and recycle more. NYC’s Department of Sanitation and Department of Education requires schools to recycle, but many NYC schools need help getting started and the best way for schools to learn is from the recycling efforts of other schools.

GrowNYC’s Public Schools Recycling Champions Program is a collaborative effort along with NYC’s Department of Education, its Division of School Facilities, and NYC’s Department of Sanitation. This is why GrowNYC is working with 2 to 3 schools in each borough to establish model programs, covering approaches to recycling for elementary, middle, and high schools around the city, including campus buildings with multiple schools. The program aims to empower schools to establish a recycling infrastructure of bins and signs, educate the school community on what can and cannot be recycled in NYC, and what benefits recycling holds for the environment, NYC, and the future careers of students.

Recycling must hold a valued place in schools; it’s a fundamental act that instills a sense of responsible citizenship and connects students to a variety of issues in their community and planet. Recycling at school also usually leads to recycling at home, with kids teaching parents. Using a wide variety of resources, Recycling Champions can help NYC Public Schools tackle its first major sustainability task, and when 1.1 million students act, the entire country listens.

For more info, please contact Robert Lock at rlock@GrowNYC.org