- If the costume is for a child, he may fit into a real recycling bin with the bottom cut out and the edges smoothed with sand paper. If not, find a large box that will cover the trunk of your body and paint it recycle-bin blue. Paint the recycling symbol on the front and back of it with white paint. Cut two slits on the top front and top back of the box, then attach suspender-like shoulder straps with rope, ribbon or twine. Look through your recyclables and hot-glue items like bottles, cartons, cans, newspapers, wrappers and bags to the top of the box.
- Dress entirely in brown to be earth or dress entirely in blue to be ocean. Attach trash and recyclables, like bottles, cans, papers, paper cups and plastic utensils to your clothes with sticky tape or safety pins. Tell everyone that you are a polluted ocean or the polluted earth, and raise awareness about recycling.
- Dress in green from head to toe. Use green hairspray on your hair or wear a green hat. Wear green lipstick or paint your entire face green. Wear green accessories such as hair ribbons, necklaces, belts and gloves. Wear a name tag that reads Guy Gone Green or Miss Gone Green.
- Use light-colored canvas or burlap to make a bag that fits over your body. Attach a handle made out of rope. Write an environmental statement such as "I am not a plastic bag" or "I used to be a water bottle" on the front and back of the bag with permanent markers or paint. Decorate the bag with recycling symbols.