Greendale school competes to win playground made from recycled oral care waste

GREENDALE -- A Greendale school is in the running for a new playground made out of recycled toothpaste tubes and floss containers. They're competing against more than 50 schools across the Midwest.

A new slide, monkey bars and turf are all possibilities at Greendale's Canterbury Elementary School.

"They brought the toothbrushes. They brought the toothpaste tubes. They brought in boxes, the boxes that Colgate goes in. They brought in the mouthwash," said Amy Bauer, fourth grade teacher.

The old playground would be replaced with one made out of oral waste.

"I would never think that Colgate products could make other things -- like this," said Paisley Clement, Canterbury Elementary School fourth grade student.

Canterbury is competing in the "Recycled Playground Challenge," sponsored by Colgate, Meijer and TerraCycle.

"We're voting every day. We're, right now, in 17th place and there are currently 52 places," said Bauer.

The playground equipment at Canterbury is about 15 years old. But the school did not initially get into the contest to replace it. That was just an added bonus. The principal says recycling is a priority for this school and the whole Greendale School District.

"It's about the learning, but it is also about creating students who go on to be good stewards to the land as well," said Principal Michael Mullen.

Students tend to a vegetable garden at the school throughout the year. They also turn waste into compost. The efforts are led by a group of students dubbed "The Green Team." Winning a sustainable playground would be their crowning achievement.

"People really don't realize how much they can recycle and how much they can save land," said Nikolina Gallo, Canterbury Elementary School fourth grade student.

You can cast an online vote for Canterbury Elementary. Voting runs through June 18th.