Green Scene Blog - National Geographic Kids: Recycling Archives

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Energy Makeovers in Cairo

Posted By NG Kids

Photo: Two men on roof with solar panels

The poor neighborhoods of Cairo are harnessing the power of the sun and microbes to find new sources of energy in the city. Since 2003, Thomas "T.H." Culhane, an urban planner and NG Emerging Explorer has been working on these projects with a nonprofit called Solar CITIES.

Using simple materials and waste from kitchens, he and Solar CITIES have installed 34 solar water heating systems and five biogas reactors to help residents get clean energy in their homes.

(Pictured: Solar CITIES project leader T.H. Culhane (right) and organization intern Omar Nagy stand next to a solar-powered water heater.)

Learn more about the Solar CITIES project on National Geographic News.

Play Recycle Roundup.

Photograph courtesy T.H. Culhane

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

NG Kids Denim Drive Garners Guinness Record

Posted By NG Kids

Guinness World Records official Stuart Claxton was on hand at Union Station today to declare a new record to National Geographic Kids magazine for the most clothing collected for recycling. Over 33,000 donated denim items were unveiled in a display in the main hall at Union Station in Washington, D.C. The house of denim will be on display through August 27.

Watch a time-lapse video of the display construction.

Kids donated 33,088 items which will be recycled by COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.®, and made into home insulation for houses damaged in natural disasters. Kids from all over the country participated, sending in one pair of jeans or truck loads of jeans collected in community projects.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Guess the Denim Count Contest

Posted By NG Kids

You know that NG Kids has collected a lot of denim over the last few months. But what's the grand total for the Guinness World Record? Make your best guess and enter the Guess the Denim Count Contest at COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.® by August 10, 2009, for a chance to win an American Express gift card and a year's subscription to NG Kids magazine!

Check out the Guess the Denim Count Contest on COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.®

Read the contest rules at COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.®

Photograph courtesy Jill Yaworski

Monday, July 27, 2009

Watch NG Kids Set a Guinness World Record!

Posted By NG Kids

We've collected and counted thousands of denim items! But what do over 30,000 pairs of jeans look like? We'll be at Union Station in Washington, D.C. on August 12 at 10:30 a.m. with our eye-popping display of denim as a representative from Guinness World Records recognizes NG Kids for achieving the Largest Collection of Clothes to Recycle!

Photo: Jeans piled high

After a two-week display, the record-setting collection will be donated to COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.®, which recycles denim into insulation to help rebuild communities in need. Join us at this exciting event!

Union Station's Main Hall will be the venue where more than 30,000 pairs of jeans will be on display from August 12, 2009, to August 27, 2009! Find out more about Washington, D.C.'s Union Station.

Photograph courtesy Jill Yaworski

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Denim Galore!

Posted By NG Kids

A team of committed folks has been folding and counting all the denim you sent in for the Guinness World Record attempt to collect the largest amount of clothing for recycling. And let me just say, we have a lot of denim. The count to date is... 29,317!!!!

We are flabbergasted. We will continue to count, but please don't send in any more denim. June 30 was the deadline! Once we have everything folded and counted, then we will call in the big boys at Guinness to give us the official count.

Stay tuned!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Denim Count

Posted By NG Kids

There are only a few days to send in jeans for the Guinness World Record attempt. So far, you have sent in an amazing 23,124 denim items to our offices at National Geographic! Keep the boxes coming--we are still counting!

Photo: Boy with jeans for recycling

Photograph courtesy Jackson's mom

Jackson, 10 years old, donated 55 pairs of jeans at a Build-A-Bear Workshop® drop-off location in March and then sent in another 111 denim items.

Photo: Kids with boxes of jeans

Photograph courtesy Giselle Appert

Students from del Sol School in California donated 500 denim items by mail.

Find out how to mail them in! All denim must be received by June 30, 2009!

Learn more about COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.®. and UltraTouch™.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Get Outside on Father's Day!

Posted By NG Kids

What are you going to do with your dad or grandpa on Father's Day? What does your dad like to do on a day off?

If you are looking for some fun outdoor activities that help the environment, check out this list of things you can do with your dad! Then invite him to join you.

-Help with yard work duties.

-Plant a fruit tree, berry bush or plant a garden together.

-Pick some berries at a local farm. Then make a delicious dessert for dad.

-Get some green tips from the stars of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

-Go on a bike ride with your dad.

-Campout in your backyard with your dad.

-Recycle paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass containers. Then challenge your dad to game of Recycle Roundup. See who can sort the most items in the shortest amount of time!

-Pick up trash at a park or creek near where you live.

Photograph by Chris Rice, My Shot

Monday, June 15, 2009

Jeans Total Tops 20,000!

Posted By NG Kids

With only two weeks left in our Guinness World Record attempt to collect the largest amount of clothing for recycling, we have amassed an amazing pile of denim. Our latest count is 20,443!

This is more than a new record attempt--it's also part of the COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.®. project to recycle denim into insulation for homes damaged in storms.

Learn how you can donate your jeans!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Kids Change Their Cafeteria

Posted By NG Kids

Photograph by Peter Cosgrove/AP

Some kids in Maryland were concerned that their lunch trays are made of styrofoam (like in the picture above) and their utensils were made of plastic, so they decided to do something about it. Members of the Piney Branch Elementary School's Young Activist Club recently testified at a city council meeting about the wastefulness of the trays, and they have also raised over $9,000 to buy washable plates, utensil, and dishwashers for the cafeteria.

The Montgomery County school system is looking at the issues and is concerned that repairing cafeteria dishwashers (as well as hiring someone to run them) could raise the cost of school lunches.

Read more about the outspoken kids at Piney Branch Elementary School on The Washington Post.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

More Celebrities Donate Denim

Posted By NG Kids

Thanks to you and generous celebrities such as Tyler James Williams from Everybody Hates Chris, Jason Dolley, from Hatching Pete and previously in Cory in the House, and Allie Grant from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, we have collected 16,256 denim items! We are getting close to the end of the NG Kids Guinness World Record attempt to collect the most clothing for recycling! Don't wait! All denim must be received by June 30!

Photo: Man with jeans

Photograph courtesy Tyler James Williams

Find out how you can send in your jeans!

All the jeans will be donated to COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.®. and be recycled into insulation for storm-damaged homes.

See photos of the celebs with their jeans donations.

National Geographic Kids