Hey there, Earth Ranger! It’s me, Hugo, the striped skunk. I’m here with my fellow Earth Ranger Animal Ambassador Daisy, stopping by to wish you a very Happy Friendship Day!
Today is about celebrating the pals who mean a lot to you. Your friends, your teachers, your neighbors, and especially your pets! Daisy and I know you LOVE your furry, feathered, and scaly friends. But, hey, some of us prefer our friendship from afar. So, how can you show us you care on this Friendship Day?
Simple: just RAWR!
Not roar! RAWR!
That stands for Respect Animals While Recycling. Following a few easy rules when you put out your recycling can help keep wild animals like us from digging through your blue bin for food. This can help stop us from getting sick or hurt. When you help keep us safe, you’re being a true friend!
If you’re new to recycling, it can be confusing at first. You might not know where to start. Some plastics can be recycled, but not all. How can you tell which items go in which bin?
Use Handy Recycling Tools!
There are special tools that can help you recycle. In Manitoba, it’s called “Recyclepedia”. In Toronto, it’s called “TOWaste.” These tools can help you figure out which bin each item should go into. For example, these apps will tell you that books don’t go in the blue bins, but newspapers do! Washed-out pet food tins made from aluminum can be recycled, but aluminum foil should not be.
You can learn a lot by looking up recycling information online or downloading an app like Recyclepedia or TOWaste. If you’re not in Manitoba, British Columbia, or Ontario, ask a grown-up to help you find a similar recycling tool in your province.
Where to start?
You don’t need a whole team or school to make a difference! Anyone can help keep our animal friends safe. Here’s what we can do:
- Cut up all plastic six-pack rings so none of us get tangled. Even better, try to avoid buying products with plastic six-pack rings altogether!
- Wash out all food containers REALLY well. We won’t dig through the trash if we can’t smell food.
- Always put lids back on jars or plastic containers so we can’t get stuck inside.
- Use an animal-proof bin for trash or compost. Wild creatures are SUPER smart and have a good sense of smell –we’ll try to grab an easy snack if we can. You can help keep us out of that garbage buffet!
- Put out your recycling, garbage, and compost the morning it will be collected so we don’t have a chance to get into it.
Thank you for being a friend to wildlife, Earth Ranger!
Want to turn your friendship into action? Head to the mission section of the Earth Rangers app and accept the RAWR Mission today!
