Printer-friendlyNew York Recycles! Poster Contest Rules
Once again, we invite all of New York State's public and private school children and youth organizations to showcase their artistic talent and their commitment to the environment by participating in the Seventh Annual New York Recycles! Poster Contest sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York Recycles! Steering Committee. This poster contest will help us to achieve our goal of higher excellence in recycling, composting, and buying recycled products and packaging.
The twelve (12) New York State winners receive the honor of having their artwork in a calendar which will be distributed throughout the State. The schools with winning entries will also receive a recycled content tote bag filled with educational materials and videos.
Please read the poster contest rules carefully, as only posters that meet the contest rules will be considered. Send your school's/youth organization's posters to the following address:
NYSDEC
Attn: Debbie Jackson
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-7253
We hope your school district or organization will participate in this worthwhile event and look forward to working with you! If you have any questions, please call Debbie Jackson at (518) 402-8705.
Eligibility:
All students in New York State public and private schools, and youth organizations are eligible. Please note that any immediate family member of a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation employee will not be considered eligible for final awards on the State judging level.
Themes:
The New York Recycles! Poster Contest will have the following themes:
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle at School
- Composting...Send your leaves and food waste to a MULCH better place!
- Let's Pick It Up New York!
- Returnable Bottles & Cans Make Cents!
- New York Recycles!
- Don't trash our air! Recycling it better!
Students are encouraged to share their views on these themes. Check out our website for more information on waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting and buying recycled products and packaging.
Checkout our website for background of theme ideas for the poster contest.
Poster Requirements:
Posters created by students must be their own original artwork. Copyrighted characters (such as Superman) or copyrighted clip art will not be accepted.
Materials:
Students may use a variety of media, such as watercolor, pen and ink, crayon, chalk, markers, etc. Brighter colors, however, reproduce better for the calendar, light pencil marks will not show up. Students are encouraged to incorporate recycled or recyclable materials into their creations. Keep in mind most posters will likely be on public display, and should be easy to see or read.
Note: If students are incorporating recyclables into their artwork, depth is restricted to half an inch.
Size & Layout:
Minimum: 8 ½" x 11"
Maximum: 18" x 24"
Landscape Layout only!!
Landscape reproduces better for the calendar.
Judging Procedure:
School and/or Youth Organization Level - Each participating school/youth group is permitted to submit up to fifteen (15) posters. How your school/youth group decides on the fifteen (15) posters is up to you. Some schools/youth groups may wish to have a contest and choose the entries; others may just have the art teacher, principal or group leader choose.
Each poster must have the Release Form (pdf, 55 kb) securely fastened to the back of the poster. A poster not accompanied by a completed Release Form will not be eligible for further judging. The posters, with Release Forms, must be mailed or delivered by May 23, 2008 to:
NYSDEC
Attn: Debbie Jackson
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-7253
State Judging - The posters will be grouped in one of the following four grade categories - Kindergarten through 3rd Grade; 4th through 6th Grade; 7th through 9th Grade; and 10th through 12th Grade.
The three (3) best posters in each grade category will be judged based on the judging criteria listed below. First, Second and Third place will be awarded in each grade category.
Judging Criteria:
1. Clear message conveyed by the text and artwork;
2. The poster theme listed above is addressed;
3. Creativity, originality and artistic quality;
4. Visual clarity - easily read; and
5. Bright and colorful.
Awards:
School/Youth Organization Level:
Each participant should receive a Certificate of Recognition (pdf, 206 kb) to acknowledge the effort. Please photocopy as many as you need.
State Winners:
The First, Second and Third place winners in each grade category will receive a recycled-content framed "Certificate of Accomplishment" from the NYSDEC Commissioner. In addition, each student will be awarded a prize, and receive the honor of having their artwork replicated into a poster calendar which will be distributed throughout the State. The winners' schools will also receive recycling educational curricula. Posters from the final State judging may be on public display at the DEC's Albany office building and other locations.
Please Remember:
- Up to fifteen (15) entries may be sutmitted by each school/youth organization.
- Entries must meet the poster requirements specified above, and must have the Release Form (pdf, 55 kb) securely fastened to the back of the poster.
- All artwork submitted becomes the property of the NYSDEC, and may be reproduced.
Important Dates For The Contest Are:
Now through May 23, 2008
- Students create their posters.
- Schools/Youth Groups choose up to fifteen (15) posters.
No Later than May 23, 2008
- Schools/Youth Organization mail or deliver up to 15 entries to the address above for State judging.
June 4 through 5, 2008
- DEC conducts State judging.
June 13, 2008
- DEC notifies winners and their schools/youth organization, and gives further instruction as to student recognition.
November 2008
- Calendars will be available.
If you have any questions on this poster contest or need additional information on waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting and buying recycled, please contact Debbie Jackson, NYSDEC, at (518) 402-8705.
Theme Background & Ideas!
There are suggestions for posters listed, but students are free to use their imagination, as long as the basic theme is addressed.
If it helps, we have past year's winning posters on our website
THEME: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle At School
The 3 R's are a good start for reducing the amount of garbage we make. For basic information on reduction, reuse and recycling, check out our website.
Suggestions for posters - Posters can show what students do to reduce and reuse at school. They can also show what materials are recycled at school.
THEME: Composting... Send Your Leaves and Food Waste to a MULCH Better Place!
Compost is a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling mixture that consists mostly of decayed organic matter. It is a simple, natural process - nature's way of recycling nutrients and returning them to the soil to be used again. By taking advantage of this natural recycling process, you can help lighten the load of waste that would otherwise go to a landfill. Compost is used for fertilizing and conditioning soil. It can be made from materials that most households throw out.
Yard wastes - - fallen leaves, grass clippings and the remains of garden plants (except diseased plants).
Kitchen scraps - - banana peels, apple cores, vegetable scraps.
(Shouldn't compost - meat, fish, bones and fatty foods - such as cheese, salad dressing and leftover cooking oil).
Check out our websites for more information on composting.
Suggestions for posters - Show what materials can be composted and/or what you can do with compost.
THEME: Let's Pick It Up New York!
Litter is unsightly, unsanitary, unappealing, can be hazardous and degrades the quality of our lives by degrading our environment.
A banana peel takes months to decompose.
A cigarette butt takes 2 - 5 years.
A tin can takes 100 years.
An aluminum can takes 200 - 500 years.
A tire, glass bottle or a plastic milk bottle can take over 1000 years.
Check out our website for waste reduction, reuse and recycling information.
Suggestions for posters - Show different types of litter and what can happen with it.
Show what we should do with litter (recycle what we can, throw the rest in the trash.)
THEME: Returnable Bottles & Cans Make Cents!
The Returnable Container Act (RCA), the Deposit Law, the Bottle Bill are all names for the same thing! The purpose of New York's RCA is to reduce litter, ease the burden on solid waste facilities and encourage recycling activities. It was implemented on July 1, 1983. The RCA requires at least a 5 cent deposit on carbonated soft drinks, beer and other malt beverages, mineral water, soda water, and wine cooler containers that hold one gallon or less.
For more information on the Bottle Bill check out our website.
Suggestions for posters - Show what types of containers are deposit containers. In contrast, show what types of containers are not deposit.
THEME: New York Recycles!
It is our way of promoting recycling and buying recycled in New York State. Various educational waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting and buy recycled events will take place all year and this will lead to a celebration ofNew York Recycles!on November 15.
New York Recycles! is part of a national event - America Recycles. In 2006 there were thousands of events in 45 states and three U.S. territories and over 30,000 New Yorkers signed a petition card and promised to recycle more and buy recycled products!
Sponsor an event... it's easy and you can contact us at (518) 402-8705 for more information!! We will provide you with materials!!!
Check out our website for more information on New York Recycles!
Suggestions for posters - Show what New York does for recycling.
THEME: Don't Trash Our Air! Recycling is Better!
Did you know every time garbage is burned in an uncontrolled fire, it creates air pollution and the left over ash contains toxic residue! Past generations burned their garbage, but that practice should be a thing of the past. Garbage back then didn't contain plastics, foils, batteries, paper (which is bleached with chlorine) and other materials. Even burning paper today can release dixions into the air. Burning household trash, whether in an open pit, burn barrel or a wood stove is unhealthy, unneighborly and unnecessary. It is time to let the burn barrels become obsolete!
Check out Don't Trash Our Air on our website for more information.
Suggestions for posters: Show what happens when materials are burned, or what we can do with materials instead of open burning them.
Gee Whiz Recycling Facts
Recycling Steel... Environmental Savings
For every ton of steel (metal) recycled, we...
Use 40 percent less water than used to make virgin steel.
Reduce air pollution by 86 percent.
Reduce water pollution by 76 percent.
Save enough energy to run a 60 watt light bulb for 26 hours.
Save 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,000 pounds of coal and 40 pounds of limestone.
Recycling Aluminum... Environmental Savings
For every ton of aluminum recycled, we...
Reduce energy use by 90 percent.
Save enough energy recycling just one can to run a TV for 3 hours.
Reduce air pollution by 95 percent.
Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 13 tons!
Recycling Glass... Environmental Savings
For every ton of glass recycled, we...
Save enough energy to light a 100 watt light bulb for 4 hours.
Save 9 gallons of fuel oil.
Save 25 percent of the energy necessary to make glass with virgin materials.
More about New York Recycles! Poster Contest Rules:
- New York Recycles Poster Contest Theme Background & Ideas! - Suggestions to help with the New York Recycles! poster contest.
