Environmental Songbook

Recycle Michael

Music and lyrics by Kate Carpenter

©1995 Kate Carpenter

There was a little old man in our town who made it his business to pick up all the aluminum cans that people littered.  He had a stick with a nail on it and a black plastic bag.  That is how he made his living. I wrote a song about it, renaming the fellow Recycle Michael.  The second verse is about recycling in the home and verse three is motivational.  Kids love this song and it's fun to sing along to.

Lyrics

Verse: He's pickin' up aluminum

He doesn't miss a trick

He's got a little nail

So he can poke 'em with his stick.

He's fillin' up his bag

and he's workin'; He's a man!

Recycle Michael

Doin' what he can.  (He says)

 

Chorus:  Recycle!   It's a groovy thang to do do do

               Recycle!   Makes the dumps last longer, too

               Reduce, Renew, Reuse,  Re-cycle! (recycle, recycle, recycle) Yeah!

 

Verse:  She's got a special place

for every kind of trash

newspaper, cans,

glass and plastic bags.

She rinses out her milk jugs

and she throws 'em in the bin

Marty the smarty

Doin' what she can.  (chorus)

 

Verse:  Don't think you gotta wait

till you're old enough to drive

Get started when you're little

You can do it when you're five.

Ask your mom or dad

to help you with your plan

Get started, baby

Doin' what you can.  (You're gonna..) (chorus)

 

Repeat chorus (optional)

When we sing the Recycle chorus, we swing our arms in a wide circle.

I also have 3 kids come up to the mic and do the "recycle, recycle, recycle, YEAH" part.

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