'Dumpster diving' raises awareness about recycling

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Clark
  • Det. 10, Air Force News Agency
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNEWS) --  During a dumpster diving experiment here May 1, elementary students found that residents at the base don't make the grade when it comes to recycling their trash.

Fifth grade students and teachers from Yokota Air Base's West Elementary School sifted and graded refuse. Collecting the empirical evidence, was part of the students' studies on the importance of recycling.

"It's such a necessity as we're finding out these days to be able to reduce, to be able to reuse, to be able to recycle, because the natural resources will run out, maybe not for us, or for the fifth graders today, but for their kids and their kids," said Sara Schmidt a fifth grade teacher. "We have to think about these things."

With what they learned they intend to raise awareness about recycling.

"They aren't doing very well," said fifth grader Liam Thomas. "We graded them afterwards, and we graded them a 57 percent ... an F."

On average, each American produces four and a half pounds of trash each day according to the Environmental Protection Agency. One third, or one and a half pounds, of which is recyclable, but many times is not.

Even though base residents aren't doing a good job now, students said there are ways to make recycling at home a little bit easier.

"Get some different bins and put one with glass, one with plastic, and one with paper products and just split the trash up," said fifth grader Letty Rendon.

"Before you dispose of any waste from your home ... just think about it," said Makoto Kimura, a solid waste specialist here.

Taking extra time to recycle might seem a bit tedious, but there are many reasons to make it a part of your daily routine.

"If you recycle just a little every day, then the future can be a lot brighter than it is now," said fifth grader Tristan McKenna.

Though base residents didn't make the grade now, maybe lessons learned through this exercise will help students make a difference for tomorrow.

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