Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Friday's field trip was to the Recycle Center. The kids learned lots of great information and I learned alot too. For example, did you know you are not supposed to put lids or caps of any kind in the recycle bin? This includes water bottle caps, yogurt lids, screw on caps, milk jug caps. I'm not sure if it is just in our area or a nationwide thing. The lady conducting the field trip said the caps fly off and act like bullets in the automated machinery and can really hurt someone standing nearby. The Recycle Guys on the stage were created by the state of South Carolina's recycling campaign.

The center has a viewing platform for students to watch the trucks unload. The recyclable materials at this center are sold to other factories which in turn will make this stuff into new stuff like cans, paper, etc. Luke loved watching the front end loader push all the recycling materials into big piles.

Here are a few recycled creations that other students have made. Recycle Robot.

Colorful fish made from plastic bottles.

A cool chair made from recycled cardboard.

The table and benches that the students are sitting on are made from recycled milk jugs. The carpet is made from recycled water bottles (I think).

Afterwards, we planned to take the kids out to lunch. The burger place I had in mind had closed down. Oops! So we opted for a different place that I *thought* was like a TGIFridays or Chili's. Turns out my memory is failing me and it was a little more upscale than that. The kids were loving the "fancy" restaurant. My friend and I were dying knowing that the bill was going to be a bit ridiculous. We knew we were in trouble when the kids menu didn't include prices! Yikes! I thought it was quite tacky that the restaurant served boxed Kraft Mac & Cheese and canned fruit and still charged so much money. Let's just say we won't be going back there any time soon.

On a fun note, we saw "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair in the restaurant. Whooooooooooo! Let's just say he has lost a little of that flair in his old age. After we explained who he was, Fletcher really wanted to go get his autograph, but he left before we did.

We love Friday field trip days!