How One Kid Transformed Recycling at His School

I want to tell you a story about one of my favourite human beings, Jamal, and how he revolutionised recycling at his school.

I was working with Jamal when he was in Grade 2. One lunchtime, he went to put some rubbish in the recycling bin and noticed something that didn’t sit right with him. The bin was full of things that didn’t belong there. Horrified, he turned to me and said, “Megan, why would people do that?”

It was a fair question. I told him that lots of people don’t always know what rubbish goes in which bin, then asked, “What do you think we could do to help them?” He thought for a moment and decided he wanted to check all the bins around the school to see how well everyone was recycling. And that’s how Recycling Inspection was born.

Every week, Jamal and I would make our way around the school, checking the bins in each classroom and giving them a score. When students and teachers saw us coming, they’d leap into action, scrambling to check their bins to make sure everything was in the right place. Jamal was a careful inspector and nothing got past him.

At the end of the week, he’d announce the results at assembly. The winning class would cheer, and those who didn’t score as well would start plotting ways to do better next time. Even the principal wasn’t safe from inspection. If she’d made a mistake, Jamal would let her know.

Recycling inspection became a big deal. Awareness grew. The school’s recycling improved dramatically. And perhaps the most powerful part of all was watching Jamal realise that his actions could make a real difference.

Then one day, when Jamal was in Grade 3, he asked another question: “What happens to the recycling after it gets picked up?” It was the perfect next step. I asked if he’d like to find out, and of course, he said yes. We spoke to the principal, gathered a small group of other students who were passionate about helping the environment, and organised a visit to the Rethink Centre in Banyule. There, we toured the recycling centre, also known as a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), and watched what happened to our recycling once it left the curb. It was a powerful experience that helped the students see how much their sorting at school mattered and how contamination could create huge problems down the line.

That experience has stuck with me. Recently, I found myself thinking about it again and wondering what might happen if kids all across Australia started their own waste inspections at school or at home. The impact could be massive.

That’s why I created the Waste Warrior Starter Kit. It’s designed to help families and educators support kids to take charge of waste in their homes, classrooms, and communities. Inside, you’ll find step-by-step instructions and printable templates for running your own waste inspections, along with creative activities and resources to help children understand where waste comes from, what happens to it, and how to reduce it.

Big change often begins with a small question and a curious mind. This kit gives kids the tools and inspiration to turn that curiosity into action and to see firsthand the difference they can make.

As we celebrate National Recycling Week, it’s the perfect time to rethink what recycling means to us, not just sorting waste but empowering children to understand the story behind what we use, where it goes, and how they can help shape a cleaner future for everyone.