“The world agrees there is a plastic waste crisis.” – National Geographic, March 25, 2019.  Next Generation Science Standards indicate, “Students who demonstrate understanding can communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment”.   These standards specifically mention examples of human impact including using resources to produce bottles and solutions include recycling those bottles.  The Campbell County Extension Agent for Natural Resources and Environmental Management provides educational programs to students about how their consumer decisions and actions affect the environment. As a culminating activity, students collect plastic caps and lids and have them recycled into a bench for their school.  The Campbell County Extension District Board agreed to sponsor the fee for the conversion of the caps and lids into a recycled content bench through Green Tree Plastic’s ABC (A Bench for Caps) program.  In 2018-19, Elementary and Middle school students participated in the program.   Four schools (Reiley Elementary School, Campbell County Middle School, St. Catherine School, and the Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services – Phoenix Program for students with emotional and behavioral disorders) collected and recycled 1900 pounds of plastic caps into four benches and two picnic tables.  Since this opportunity was provided by the Extension Service in 2016, seven schools have participated and converted 3900 pounds of plastic waste into useful products.

Teacher testimonials attest to the success of the programs. “This project was a wonderful learning experience for our 8th graders from start to finish. This class wrote a letter to our parish priest and principal explaining the project and asking permission and help in getting it started. In addition, these same students made presentations to each classroom before dropping a sorting bucket in each room. I found it to be an incredible experience for them as they executed the entire program. We ended up displaying our bags of caps in the hallway, so that all grades could get a visual of what 200 pounds would look like. Kids really became aware of and made a connection of what this kind of waste would look like had it gone into a landfill. Win!” – St. Catherine School, 8^th grade teacher, Ft. Thomas, KY.  “The recycling program is wonderful.  After the class, the children became much more conscious of recyclable materials verses trash.  The bench program added extra enthusiasm not only to the class but to the school community.  Children were anxious to bring in caps, to see how many pounds have been collected, and how many we needed.  This was a great opportunity and now we have something to show for our efforts, too.   Thank you so much.  Without the help from the Extension Center we would not have been able to purchase the benches.” – Holy Trinity School, 4^th/5^th grade teacher, Bellevue, KY.