SEMCO Masterpieces, a dynamic new division of Sustainable Environmental Management Co., is dedicated to creating innovative activities to teach sustainability that both inform and inspire conservation. Our products emphasize hands-on interaction, collaboration, and friendly competition—all crafted from recycled materials. Designed to complement school curricula on sustainability, our offerings include jigsaw puzzles, trading cards, comic books, and card games, making learning fun for all ages.
Engaging Activities to Teach Sustainability: Games, Puzzles, and More
New: Save Our Seas Series Jigsaw Puzzles
Introducing our latest: The Save Our Seas Series 2-in-1 Jigsaw Puzzle. Each box contains two puzzles—one illustrating an environmental problem, the other offering a solution. Perfect for classrooms and family playtime, these puzzles are crafted entirely from 100% post-consumer recycled fiber, supporting waste diversion efforts at school and at home.
Puzzle pieces conveniently store in resealable bags, and lesson plans with references are included to turn fun into meaningful learning experiences. Earn and learn with SEMCO Masterpieces’ uniquely educational puzzles.
RecycleUSA: The Trading Card Game That Teaches Sustainability
About the Game
RecycleUSA puts players in the role of brokers in the $110-billion U.S. recycling industry. Suitable for 3 to 7 players, each deck has 51 cards divided into 7 material suits: food scraps (5 pts), metal (50 pts), wastepaper (40 pts), electronics (30 pts), textiles (10 pts), plastics (15 pts), and glass (20 pts), plus two special cards—a Hi-Grade Wild Card (20 pts) and a Contaminant Card (-20 pts).
The Gameplay
After shuffling, cards are dealt face down and kept secret as players review their “unsorted mixed materials.” Players sort cards by material type—metals with metals, glass with glass, etc.—and trade cards face down in equal numbers to build a complete set of seven cards from a single material suit. There are no turns; trading happens freely and quickly as players race to assemble their sets and shout, “I recycled!”
Points from contaminant cards are deducted, while hi-grade cards add to the score. Victory can be achieved by either amassing the highest total points within a set time or reaching a maximum point value (e.g., 250 points) or recycling at least four different materials before anyone hits the point threshold. No player is ever out of the game, keeping excitement and learning alive. Join us in turning sustainability education into exciting gameplay and discover how fun it can be to protect our planet.
Watch a short video highlighting a celebrity perspective on RecycleUSA.