FCCLA & The Environment

Chapter Projects & Activities for a Better Future

Levi Rash and Rachel Remund2007-2008 National Executive Council

Why is this important?The environment affects our way of

life -energy sources -agricultural aspects -atmosphere and air

It impacts our homes, schools, and communities

How can FCCLA help?Gear national program projects

towards environmental issues -Community Service -Power of One -STAR Events

Design speeches and presentations for the school and community

Project IdeasSet-up school recycling schemeTry setting up an educational campaign in your

school about recyclingStudy traffic around your school, assess how

students travel each day, create a campaign for more effective transportation -“FCCLA Rides Day”- chapter members ride bikes to school -public transportation and bus routes -car-pooling

Project Ideas Cont’d

Educate everyone on how to save energy around school and the renewable options available

Form an eco-school with ideas from www.recycle-more.co.uk

Eco-School 1Create a school-wide project involving all

resources and departmentsFocus on areas such as waste, water, and

energy A school garden growing organic vegetables -

these could even be used in your FACS lessons

A school composting site that could be used to help your school garden flourish

Eco-School 2A wildlife area in your school grounds could

be started including a pond and a variety of vegetation to encourage a wide diversity of species

A sculpture made of old packaging and products could be made

Water from your school roof could be collected and used to water your school garden

Eco-School 3Recycling facilities for paper and cans should

be available to all students and staff A school energy survey could be carried out.

This could then be followed by some key implementations such as energy efficient light bulbs and signs educating people to switch lights off

An Environment Committee could be set up in your FCCLA chapter to help implement ideas

Involve Everyone!FCCLA can work with different groups and

organizations in the school and communityThe whole school will benefit from the

environmental education and may be able to use some of the key ideas generated in their work.

Various departments can get involved, for example the art department can design information posters and the science department can use statistics generated in class.

Community ImpactThe local community should be notified

through word of mouth or newsletters about the success of the environmental projects. This will aim to inspire local people to contribute to helping improve the environment.

Other schools in the area should also be informed of such environmental projects, so they too can implement some of these ideas.

ResourcesU.S. Environmental Protection Agency

www.epa.govCampaign Earth

www.campaignearth.org Keep America Beautiful

www.kab.org

5 Reasons to Recycle1. Recycling conserves our valuable natural resources.

2. Recycling saves energy.3. Recycling saves clean air and clean water.

4. Recycling saves landfill space. 5. Recycling can save money and create jobs.

Did you know…?Each ton of recycled paper can save 17

trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy and 7,000 gallons of water!

Americans use more than 67 million tons of paper per year, or about 580 pounds per person.

Paper products make up the largest part (approximately 40 percent) of our trash.

Did you know…?Every day American businesses generate

enough paper to circle the earth 20 times !Paper products use up at least 35 percent of

the world's annual commercial wood harvest. The highest point in Ohio is said to be

"Mount Rumpke," which is a "mountain" made up of trash -- at a sanitary landfill! Rumpke is one of the nation's largest waste and recycling companies.

Each year, Americans throw away 25 billion Styrofoam cups.

Did you know…?A new landfill generally costs more than an

old one that has filled up. This is because it typically costs more to comply with new environmental regulations, to buy the land, to construct the landfill and to transport waste because new landfills generally are farther away than older ones.

Every year more than 900 million trees are cut down to provide raw materials for American paper and pulp mills

True or False?Beginning about 1690, paper was made in the

U.S. from old rags. Paper production from wood did not begin until the late 1800s. Early paper was made in Egypt out of papyrus.

-TruePaper recycling began in the U.S. in the 1970s

-False, it began in the 1930sWastepaper recycling is big business. In October

of 1997, wastepaper shipments from the U.S. to other countries totaled almost $76 million.

-True

True or False?Recycling a stack of newspapers just 3 feet high can

save one tree.-True

Disposable diapers last centuries in landfills. An average baby will go through 2,000 of them!

-False, 8,000 diapersOnly 1 percent of the world's water supply is usable;

97 percent is in the ocean and 2 percent is frozen. -True

True or False?Americans make more than 200 million tons of

garbage each year, enough to fill Busch Stadium from top to bottom twice a day!

-TrueIt takes an 8–year-old tree to produce 700 grocery

bags. -False, it takes a 15-year-old tree

Every Sunday, Americans waste 90 percent of recyclable newspapers. This wastes 10,ooo trees!

-False, this wastes 500,000 trees

Everything old is new again!Where does the trash go? When you throw

something "away", it doesn't go away! Trash is either burned, buried, recycled or dumped into rivers and oceans.

Old printing and writing paper can become new printing and writing paper, wrapping paper, and paper used for magazines, books and brochures.

Old scrap paper of all kinds can be used to make new paper towels and tissues, egg cartons, fruit trays and flower pots.

Everything old is new again!Old newspapers can become new newspapers.Old corrugated boxes can become new

corrugated boxes.Old toy boxes or shoe boxes can become new

cereal and soap boxes, soft drink cartons and pizza boxes. 

Old grocery bags can become new mail wrappings for magazines and catalogs, new dog food bags as well as new grocery bags.

http://www.resourcefulschools.org/facts2.html