This Earth Day won't you spare a thought for Dunk? He's a big blue bin that the National Security Agency is using to encourage kids to recycle, and people aren't being very nice to him on the Internet.

Since the NSA tweeted about Dunk earlier this week, people have called him "disconcerting," "creepy" and even "nightmarish." Someone created a twitter account for him suggesting that he's been pressed into service because the agency took his children. (The rest of the posts are too rude to repeat.)

Perhaps it's the bright blue skin that has put people off. Or maybe the slightly forced-looking grin.

But all Dunk wants, according to an NSA video, is to get Maryland children to boost their schools' recycling efforts.

Admittedly, the mission could be a little bit disgusting. Dunk wants students to "dig through all of the trash in your school and then you're going to analyze it." From there, they can use a little bit of math and work out what else their school can recycle rather than sending to a landfill.

The Baltimore Sun has asked the NSA if anyone wants to stand up for poor old Dunk, but so far, no response.