Pinellas County Utilities promotes school recycling to educate children about recycling and reduce the waste stream.

Dream Machine Recycle Rally | Clean & Green Team | Green & Healthy School
Paper Recycling | Fundraising | Reduce Costs | Posters
Other Recycling | Assistance | Links

DREAM MACHINE RECYCLE RALLY 

• Keep Pinellas Beautiful offers the new Dream Machine Recycle Rally program to all Pinellas County schools K-12, in cooperation with Pepsi, Waste Management and Keep America Beautiful.
• Students collect aluminum cans and plastic bottles, and bring them to school.
• Keep Pinellas Beautiful provides recycling collection containers for the schools, weekly pickup and tracking of points.
• Participating schools qualify for prizes from local retailers and a grand prize $50,000 school makeover.
• Click here to sign up for the program.

CLEAN & GREEN TEAM  

• Keep Pinellas Beautiful offers a Clean & Green Team Program for elementary schools.
• The program is designed to get students involved in recycling plastic bottles, picking up litter, and beautifying their school.
• Teacher sponsors form teams of 8-15 students.
• Keep Pinellas Beautiful staff work with the teacher to set up the program, and provide materials such as wristbands, litter pickers, pails, trash bags and recycling containers.
• Click here to sign up for the program.

GREEN & HEALTHY SCHOOL

• The Pinellas County School Board offers the Green & Healthy School Certification Program. View program information (scroll down to the Utility Management section).  
• The voluntary program is designed to encourage staff and students to recycle, conserve energy and participate in environmental education activities.
• The program is a means to document progress and achieve recognition for conservation practices.
• Sign up to be a Green & Healthy School by contacting Pinellas County School Energy Coach Wayne Hefty at (727) 580-6519 or email.

PAPER RECYCLING
Pinellas County public schools have recycled over 13 million pounds (6.7 tons) of paper since the program began in 2004! These efforts represent significant pollution prevention and savings of trees, water, energy, and disposal capacity—plus avoided costs for the school district.

View more information on the school paper recycling program including an activity sheet for elementary students. To request paper recycling bins, contact Pinellas County School Energy Coach Wayne Hefty at (727) 580-6519 or email.

FUNDRAISING
Many schools raise money with recycling programs. Select from the list below for information on recycling fundraising opportunities:

• aluminum cans
• cartridges (inkjet and laser toner)
• cell phones
• newspaper/mixed paper
• shoes and clothing
• steel cans

REDUCE DISPOSAL COSTS
Your school can cut waste disposal costs by recycling items such as cardboard. See our ABC List for on-site recycling options, or consult Pinellas County School Energy Coach Wayne Hefty at (727) 580-6519 or email for information on school recycling and waste reduction programs.

POSTERS 
Print these mini posters (8.5" x 11") to hang in the school office or teacher work areas:

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle at School
  (12 ways to cut waste at school)
• Buy Recycled
  (list of recycled-content office supplies)
• Two Sides are Better Than One (promote two-sided copying)

OTHER RECYCLING
Teachers can reuse or recycle other items—not to raise money or reduce disposal costs—but to promote recycling as a lifetime habit. For example:

• Composting food at school - watch a video about a local composting project by a 5th grade teacher at Douglas Jamerson Elementary School using a $500 grant.
• Glue sticks and bottles - see Elmer's Glue Crew Recycling Program  
• Household items such as foam produce trays or empty paper towel rolls may be reused for classroom arts and crafts projects. View the Trash Matcher for recycled craft ideas such as making jewelry beads from junk mail. 

ASSISTANCE
Our Pinellas County Utilities staff is available to work with school-based environmental clubs to promote waste reduction or arrange for recycling at events. Please contact us at (727) 464-7500 or recycle@pinellascounty.org.

LINKS
Useful links on the Pinellas County Utilities website:

• Curbside and Drop-off Recycling (recycling programs in Pinellas County listed by city)
• Recycling Map (60+ recycling drop-offs and free mulch sites) 
• Pinellas County Recycling Directory (22-page guide)
• A to Z Guide for Recycling & Disposal in Pinellas County (over 250 items)
• Recycling FAQs (60 FAQs about recycling)
• Green Tips (new tip posted every Friday)