Recycling with CBeebies

On Saturday, I took the children and one of their little friends to see CBeebies live at the theatre! For those who haven't experienced CBeebies, it is a BBC television channel dedicated to the under fives and it's a quality one at that.

The visit to the theatre was a special treat for the Easter holidays and I must admit that at first I felt a bit dubious about being trapped in the Cambridge Corn Exchange, with a whole load of over-excited children for nearly two hours.

But ladies and gentleman, I am delighted to eat my words. Not only was the theatre packed with children who were just happy to see their heroes on stage, (who also seemed just as happy to see the children), but the CBeebies show came with a very special message...yes the importance of recycling and composting.

Children and grown-ups were entertained by PC Plum, Jenny Jumble, Postman Pat, Boo, Tamba, Bill and Ben, Jakers and friends, The Koala Brothers and Tommy Zoom, all doing their best to recycle and even compost.

Never before has a recycling message had such a "captivated" audience.

The central character was a recycling bin, which was at risk from the terrible Polluto, who was on a personal mission to contaminate the bin with sludge and generally destroy the world. Fortunately Tommy Zoom saved the day and took Polluto home for a good telling off!

It was truly inspirational, making the subject of recycling totally interesting for children, not just emphasising its importance but also looking at the fun element of making new things out of everyday objects.

So what a great way to start off this week. Following last week's emphasis on landfill problems, the next five days will offer a more upbeat theme, focusing entirely on recycling and reusing.

As well as a review of a fabulous book that's just hit the bookstores, there is also our very first celebrity interview, which is not to be missed. On top of that there will be examples of some fantastic recycled products, which highlight the value of recycling, plus some hints and tips on how everyone can get involved. If you're looking for inspiration, you will definitely find lots of it here over the next few days.

I suppose this is turning out to be The Rubbish Diet's unofficial LET'S RECYCLE WEEK.

So, even if you're already an active recycler, why not have another look at your rubbish and see if you can keep one extra thing out of landfill. Even better, get your friends and colleagues to follow suit.

Who knows what will happen. Take last week, one reader found out she could recycle Tetra Paks at her local recycling point. Perhaps you can do the same too and find out what else you can recycle at the same time. As you'll see from the articles coming up, it is so worth the extra effort.

Go for it... all you need to find is just one extra thing. It could be an aerosol can, a plastic bag or even a meat carton. You could even cheat and swap your regular purchase that can't be recycled with an alternative product that can.

Is that really cheating? I think the answer to that is "Naaah"!

Anyway, if you need some help, more information can be found at:

www.recycle-more.co.uk
www.recyclenow.com
www.wasteonline.org.uk

Hmm, I wonder what else I'll be able to save this week. I'm afraid you'll have to wait and see!

If you want to find out whether CBeebies is coming to your town click here for tour dates. The show comes fully recommended.
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