How to Organize a Recyclable Drive for Your School

Schools all over the country are feeling the budget crunch. If you'd like to earn money for your school, a recyclable drive is the perfect way to do it.

It is an ideal fundraiser because you are not asking parents for money. You're simply asking for items that they don't need anymore, that they'd more then likely throw away in the garbage. Parents may be more likely to donate recyclables if they can't afford to donate cash.

This article will give you a few pointers on how your school can put together a recyclable drive.

#1: Get Principal Approval

Anything you do at school must have principal approval whether you're an individual or a member of the PTA. Make sure your principal is on board with your drive before you start planning. If you don't get principal approval, you could get off to a bad relationship with your school. You want your principal to know that your PTA is dependable.

#2: Contact Local Business for Trash Can Donations

Contact several local businesses. Write a letter or go in person and explain that your school is having a drive and that you want to see if the business would be willing to support a local school by making a donation by way of a trashcan. Mention that the business will be mentioned in the next school flier and/or on the PTA/School Website.

#3: Find a Recyclable Center

Call or go in to several recyclable centers in your town. See if they would be able to give a few cents higher then their current pay rate to your school since you're doing a fundraiser. Some places will probably say no but you never know when a business will agree so don't let that discourage you. Keep trying.

You can also inquire if they would donate trashcans to hold your schools recyclables if you agreed to take your recyclables to that center.

#4: Decide on What Kind You're Collecting

Decide what kinds of recyclables you're collecting. Cans are a given but plastic is also a great choice. Be sure to request the plastic with 1's on it. Parents probably use more plastic then aluminum cans. 1's are on several items these days from soda bottles to plastic TV dinner trays.

Some schools may not want to collect alcoholic containers since they might not want them on campus. If that is the case for your school, be sure to put in the fliers that alcoholic containers are not allowed.

#5: Get Volunteers

Volunteers are key to your drive. You'll need them to help you sort plastic from cans and to help take them in to the facility.

#6: Take Lids off Bottles

Most Recycling centers will deduct weight off if they see you have lids on your plastics. Take them off so your school will get all the money from your bottles.

#7: Thank Everyone

Its good business to thank everyone that helps you from your volunteers, donors of trashcans, the recycling center and the parents of your school so that they will want to help you again in the future.