Not all trash is alike. Some of it can be quite useful, and even fun. We’ve been talking to a really neat organization in southern California that is doing something quite interesting with trash. It’s called Trash for Teaching, and they collect clean and safe cast-off materials from manufacturing processes (that would otherwise become trash) and repurposes them as educational resources.  They even have a cool little van that they take around to local schools called the Treasure Truck, that supplies them with supplies. Fortunately, for those of us who aren’t lucky enough to be living in southern California, they have a fun Castaway Kit available (made with recognizable cast off materials – e.g., paper cores, pen caps, buttons.) Each has directions and materials to build Pen-thropod, Pen-cap Pete, or Penelope.   Their hope is that the kit will encourage parents and children to create their own animals and sculptures by using the materials in the kit and amending it with materials from their own re-use and recycling efforts.

Check them out at castawaykits.com