# Comics to Motivate Youth Howtoons Teach Recycling By Rose A. Valenta | Published 2007-12-11 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/howtoons References: [web.mit.edu](http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/howtoons-tt1205.html) & [howtoons](http://www.howtoons.com) What do you get when you have two geniuses from [MIT](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coding-platforms) creating two superhero comic book characters designed to motivate young people? You have a new [comic book series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/comic-factory) called “Howtoons.” The superheroes are [cartoon kids](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/veefriends-cartoons), Celine and Tucker, who set up a home workshop and build a whole series of toys and gadgets out of odds and ends. The two geniuses are Paul Bonsen, program director of MIT's new Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship, and writer and engineer, Saul Griffith, who earned his Ph.D. at MIT and won the MacArthur Foundation "genius" award this year. "What we hope is that kids everywhere will not look at throwaway stuff the same way ever again," Bonsen said. "Instead, they will realize than an old plastic bottle can be a rocket or a submarine or any number of things." Howtoons, published by HarperCollins, hit the bookshelves during the first week in December. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 59% | Activity: 29% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Youth Motivational Comics:** The success of Howtoons shows that there is potential for engaging youth with motivational comics. - **Recycling Education:** Incorporating recycling education into youth comic books can have a positive impact on environmental awareness. - **Upcycling Creativity:** Encouraging youth to create new things out of old materials can promote innovation and upcycling in various industries. ### Who This Affects Most - **Publishing:** There is a potential for innovation in the publishing industry by incorporating similar themes of engagement and education in children's literature. - **Education:** The success of Howtoons shows the potential for incorporating creative and engaging content into traditional school curriculums to promote more sustainable practices among youth. - **Environmental Conservation:** Incorporating education on upcycling and creative reuse into environmental conservation campaigns can promote more sustainable practices and provide innovation opportunities in the industry as a whole. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Adult Animated Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/animated-comedy.md) - [Comic Book Coloring Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/made-by-me-manga-artist-set.md) - [Resilience-Focused Children's Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/savvy-suzanna.md) - [Personalized Comic Book Creation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dreamcanvas.md) - [Personalized Bedtime Stories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/storygenius.md) - [Personalized Story Creators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tinkertell.md) - [Recycled Collectible Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/recyclings.md) - [Personalized Children’s Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tinyherostories.md) - [Creative STEM-Based Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jitterygit.md)