Calling all K-12 Youth!

Participate in a national recycling video and poster contest sponsored by ReMA,
The Recycled Materials Association, and JASON Learning!

Your Challenge

Your challenge is to create an advertisement for these three principles around recycling. You must provide examples you learned from your research to explain how recycling is building opportunities for each of these terms: Sustainable, Resilient, and Essential.

The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) and its members work to ensure that their work supports the worldwide economy and keeps materials from becoming waste.  

The recycled materials industry is Sustainable – which helps protect the environment. It is Resilient – providing materials that strengthen the economy. It is also Essential – to ensure the things we need are there to improve everyday life.

Now it’s your turn get creative...

Here are some guidelines to help you get started!

  • Follow the project brief: Create messaging to explain the importance of recycling using the three principles in the ReMA tagline:
    • Sustainable: It protects the environment.
    • Resilient: It provides materials to help build the economy.
    • Essential: It provides materials that help improve our everyday lives.
  • Meet the contest criteria: Your poster or video should:
    • Inform and excite viewers about the possibilities of recycling.
    • Explain how recycling helps protect planet Earth.
    • Share how recycling supports building our economy.
    • Highlight how recycling can help provide materials that make our lives better.
  • Research the recycled materials industry through the lens of the ReMA principles of Sustainable, Resilient, and Essential.
  • Create messaging in the form of a digital poster, highway billboard, or video that is less than one minute long and informs and excites your viewers about the possibilities for recycling!
  • Imagery: Include pictures or visual representations of the three ReMA recycling principles!
  • Title: Display “Sustainable. Resilient. Essential” clearly on your video or digital poster submission. 
  • Be innovative!  Think creatively!

You Could Win an Incredible Experience!

The grand prize-winning students of the Youth Recycling Contest, along with their parent/guardian and teacher, will have earned a trip to the ReMA National Convention in sunny San Diego, CA, on May 12-15, 2024!

The video and poster grand champions will receive their awards as well as have the honor of showcasing their phenomenal work to thousands of recyclers from around the world.
Pictured below are the winners of the 2023-24 contest in Las Vegas, NV!

Recycling Contest Ask-an-Expert

LIVE Webinars

Join experts from ReMA, the trade association representing the recycling industry, and JASON Learning to hear about this year’s recycling contest! This event is open to all K-12 students, teachers, and family members. It is an opportunity to hear from experts in the recycling industry, receive helpful tips and strategies for submitting a successful entry, and ask questions. This event is also great for students who are undecided about entering and wish to learn more.

*Please note: all students under the age of 18 must register for this event with an adult (family member, teacher, parent, guardian).

Check out these helpful ReMA resources!

Important Note! This contest limits the definition and impact of recycling to products constructed from these commodities: Metal, Fiber (Paper & Cardboard), Plastics, Glass, Tires, and Electronics. You can learn more about each commodity below.

Helpful Vocabulary:

  • Recyclability: The characteristic of a product, packaging, or associated component that can be collected, processed, and put back into use as raw materials or products.
  • Product: An item or substance that is manufactured (made) to sell.
  • Commodity:  A raw material that is used to make a product. Products might be made from more than one material or commodity. Examples are glass, metal, paper, textiles, electronics . . . etc.
  • Sustainability: The needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
  • Resilient: Capable of regaining its original shape or position after bending, stretching, compression, or other deformation.
  • Essential: To be absolutely necessary; extremely important.

Learn more about each commodity for your project:

Important Contest Documents

** Download the Rules & Guidelines and the Help Guide and Rubric for
important details and instructions about submitting your entry!

Submissions are due on or before
Friday, December 13, 2024 at 11:59 pm ET.

If you have any questions, please email vcross@jason.org for assistance.

Check out our Recycling Activities Collection: Lessons and Resources for Grades K-12!

Designed in partnership with ReMA, the trade association representing the recycling industry, students explore the benefits and challenges of sustainable recycling through a variety of activities ranging from physics and chemistry to engineering and human impacts while becoming informed citizens and careful consumers.