Last week, Hamlin 5th graders spent a morning at the Education Center of the Recology Headquarters in the Bayview section of San Francisco. As the resident recyclers of the Hamlin School, this was a great way for the girls to become armed with the rationales behind effective and informed waste management.

The vision of Recology San Francisco “sees a world without waste, where resources are used and re-used in a sustainable ecosystem that strives for their best and highest use.” 

Hamlin students were also able to explore the intersection of art and waste management. “The Artist in Residence Program at Recology San Francisco is a unique art and education program that provides Bay Area artists with the rare opportunity to create art from trash.” Hamlin students met two of the artists in their studio spaces and saw the possibilities of repurposing “perfectly good” items that would have gone into landfill unless otherwise salvaged.

The impact of Recology SF is enormous, “Recycling aluminum, for example, can reduce energy consumption by as much as 95%. Savings for other materials are lower, but still substantial: about 70% for plastics, 60% for steel, 40% for paper, and 30% for glass. (1) In all cases, the energy savings are significant and well worth the effort to recover them” (Recology SF). Needless to say, Recology San Francisco effectively diverts large quantities of trash from landfill.

5th graders will build on this hands on experience by creating public service announcements focused on recycling efforts.

Special thanks to faculty members Nick Wilsey, Amy Conger, Lauren DeLisle, Jackson Blum, and Rachael Kerkoff who made this trip possible.

To learn more about Recology San Francisco, please visit: http://www.recologysf.com