Trash to treasure

Lauren Vane

Students from Sun View Elementary School went on an interesting field

trip in April, tracking a piece of garbage from the trash can all the

way to the landfill.

Although the journey was imaginary and the students didn’t have to

dig through a dumpster, they were taken on a magical tour into the

world of recycling. They learned that with a little magic of their

own, they can recycle old products into new.

Magician and educator Jerry Hart presented the Timothy Wenk “Magic

of Recycling” show to Sun View students last week in an assembly that

coincided with Earth Day celebrations.

With wit and patience, Hart used magic tricks to show students

that soda bottles don’t just disappear after they’re thrown into the

garbage.

“The magic is the door opener,” Hart said. “It gets them laughing

and it actually ties into recycling.”

Using a paper tree that expanded from floor to ceiling, Hart

illustrated how many trees are cut down for paper products. As an

example of a recycled product, Hart showed off a pencil made from

recycled denim and dollar bills.

“What does recycling mean?” Hart asked the students. “It means

recycling, reducing and reusing.”

If every family would do their part to conserve resources and

recycle, it would make a difference, said Hart, who has been an

educator with the program for seven years.

The Magic of Recycling show came to Sun View with the help of the

Environmental Education Team, a group made up of representatives from

the school district, Rainbow Disposal and the city of Huntington

Beach. Rainbow Disposal is responsible for residential trash

collection in Huntington Beach.

The education team sponsors waste management education in schools,

said representative Jim Sankey.

“I think it offers an opportunity for them to learn a lot of

things first-hand, while they’re being entertained,” Sankey said.

In the past, the team has organized field trips to Rainbow

Disposal for school children, Sankey said.