Earth Day is fast-approaching, but this isn’t just any Earth Day. This
year happens to mark the 40th anniversary of the eco-celebration and to
celebrate, Design Squad on
PBS KIDS GO is launching the nationwide 2010 Trash to Treasure
competition on April 5th.

Think your genius of a kid has what it takes to beat someone else’s genius of a kid in an attempt to recycle, reuse and re-engineer everyday materials into the world’s next how-did-we-live-without-it invention? Well, if they’re between the ages of 5 and 19, this is their chance.

The rules are simple: Kids have to invent something (they don’t need to actually build it, just design it) using at least two repurposed materials. Think rubber bands, fabric, bike parts or one of the many kitchen gadgets you once needed so desperately and now never use. There will even be some online tools on the Design Squad website to help kids with sketching out their ideas and uploading images.

Three lucky inventors will get to fly to Boston to build prototypes of their inventions with Continuum, an award-winning design consultancy. Plus, their inventions, and the building of the prototypes, will be featured on an episode of Design Squad. Pretty nifty, don’t you think? 

Now go tell your junior inventors about it. Though you might want to hide any particularly beloved kitchen gadgets before you do. –Stephanie