Here at Horizon Disposal Services, we’re much more than just a waste collection service for the Burlington County area. We also supply recycling dumpsters, because preserving the ecosystem is important to us. That’s why we encourage you to introduce your children to the three R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle), so they can get into the habit now and be environmentally conscious when they’re adults. We all have a role to play in taking care of our planet. You’re never too young to start learning about the environment, so the best time to start teaching your kids about the importance of recycling is right now! Here are some simple steps you and your kids can take together¹:

Reduce

• Start a compost pile in your backyard so that your food waste can be repurposed as fertilizer.
• When your children go with you to the grocery store, show them that you stay away from buying styrofoam and single-serve products.
• Also cut down on plastic and paper.

Reuse

The more things you throw away, the more material you’re putting in landfills. You should only throw things away as a last resort; if something can be salvaged or repurposed, keep it.

• If one of your child’s toys is broken, try to fix it instead of putting it right in the trash.
• When your child outgrows an article of clothing, donate it instead of tossing it.
• Instead of using plastic bags, get a few reusable tote bags.

Recycle

No matter how hard you try, you probably can’t stop buying disposable items entirely. You’re going to keep buying things like cereal in cardboard boxes and beverages in plastic and glass containers, and that’s okay as long as you prevent these materials from going to waste. This is easily done by recycling. Here at Horizon Disposal Services, the materials we recycle include:

• Plastic
• Metal
• Paper
• Concrete
• Cardboard
• Wood
• And more!

In all of these steps, communication with your children is crucial. They’ll learn a lot more if they know not only what you’re doing, but also why. When they feel involved and engaged in the steps you take to preserve the planet, they’ll be more committed to changing their own habits to be more environmentally friendly, too. Summer is a great time to start teaching your kids because they’re home from school and will have more time to observe your behavior and learn from you. Here’s a short video about reducing, reusing, and recycling with your children: