- Institute a coordinated approach to recycling in district schools.
- Enhance your district's existing recycling programs by adding permanent recycling containers, collecting new recyclables, or launching a recycling awareness campaign.
- Implement "Don't Bag It" programs for district yard trimmings.
- Coordinate field trips for district schools to a local recycling center, a recyclable materials processing operation, a recycling mill or plant, a local company, university, or military base with a well-established recycling program.
- Have speakers representing recycling-related businesses or facilities come to district schools to tell students about recycling.
- Promote through local newspapers and other media what your district is doing for America Recycles Day.
- Integrate information that is related to recycling into all subjects, such as math, chemistry, biology, and speech. (Example: Calculate the number of sheets of paper that equals one ton.)
- Have a district-wide America Recycles Day Poster Contest.
- Conduct a district-wide student/faculty/staff contest on the best new idea(s) on ways to reduce waste in your school.
- Encourage and coordinate school-supply exchanges in district schools for items such as rulers, pencils, notebooks, and paper.
- Organize a district swap day for records, games, toys, and books.
- Have a district-wide clothing collection day at district schools for donations of good, clean apparel from students/community for Goodwill, the Salvation Army, a local church, or a civic organization.
- Set up recycling bins for aluminum cans and/or plastic bottles at football stadiums, and make arrangements for a designated group to recycle them.
- Organize a waste-free lunch or party, with students, faculty, and staff bringing silverware, washable napkins, and reusable bags.
- Organize a campaign to write letters to local newspapers or government officials to encourage recycling.
- Arrange for older students to teach younger students about recycling and solid waste, or allow a school group to give a presentation on that topic.
- Conduct a Waste in Place curriculum training for grades K-6. The curriculum features hands-on activities on solid waste management.