Waste and Recycling

Investigationfrom

Project Learning Tree

GreenSchools!

Keep Loup Basin BeautifulAnita Olson-Director

Goals

Introduce you to the GreenSchools! Waste and Recycling Investigation

Give you ideas and resources to help you implement this program in your school

1.

2.

3. Take time to share ideas and answer questions

GreenSchools! Waste and Recycling Investigation

GreenSchools! • Inspires students to take personal responsibility for improving the environment at their school, at home, and in their community

•KAB Mission: • Build and sustain

healthy, vibrant communities

• Over 500 affiliates and participating organizations nation- wide

Keep America BeautifulIntroductions

OUR MISSION• Environmental

education promoting: 1. Waste

Reduction2. Litter Prevention

3. Recycling4. Beautification

Introductions

IntroductionsKeep Creighton BeautifulLucille Cloughccreigh@gpcom.net402-358-3557

Keep Norfolk BeautifulDawn Millerknbeautiful@gmail.com402-379-3260

Keep Northeast Nebraska BeautifulSarah LaBrune-Jongelingslabrune@simpco.org712-279-6286

• 4.4 lbs/person/day• 250 MILLION TONS PER YEAR!!!

• It’s Important!

• How much of that waste could’ve been recycled?• It’s Important!

Figure 3. Recycling Rates of Selected Products, 2011Taken from : http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/index.htm

Newspapers Aluminum Glass Plastics

• Top 5 Reasons to Recycle• Conserve natural resources• Reduce need for landfills• Create jobs• Prevent pollution• Save energy

• It’s Important!

1. Activities correlate with national educational standards

2. Real-world applications of science, technology, engineering and math

3. Save your school money through waste reduction and recycling

Results of Conducting the Investigation

Results of Conducting the Investigation

4. Become eligible for grants 5. Encourage students to take action at

home6. Introduce students to new careers in

a variety of environmental science-related fields

• Examine their school’s waste stream

• Collecting and analyzing data

Waste and Recycling InvestigationStudents will…

• Develop an understanding of how their actions affect the waste stream

• Learning about sustainable approaches to waste management

• Brainstorm ideas for action projects•Generating a plan to improve their school’s overall sustainability

Waste and Recycling InvestigationStudents will…

• Implement one or more of their waste improvement strategies

• Celebrating their success with the community

Getting Started

Buy-InTeachersAdministratorsStudentsCustodial Maintenance Dining Services

PlanningTimelineAssign tasks

Gathering SuppliesInformationPermissions

How-To Steps1. Identify Leaders2. Obtain Permissions3. Form Your Green Team

a. Teachersb. Studentsc. Administratorsd. Custodial/Maintenance Staffe. Cafeteria Stafff. Parents

How-To Steps4. Develop a Schedule and

Assign Roles5. Determine the Scope and

Print the Investigation6. Gather Documents and

Supplies• Scale• Bins• Gloves• Bags

How-To Steps7. Conduct the

Investigation• Using worksheets

8. Develop and Implement an Action Plan• Grants are available

9. Celebrate Success!

Trash• Regulation

s and Policies

• Trash Removal

Recycling• Collectio

n• Income

generated

Composting• Collection• Where it

goes

Reduction and Reuse• Purchasing

policies• Reusable

materials

Conducting the Investigation Filling out the Worksheets

Conducting the Investigation

Conducting the Investigation• Using Google Earth or Google Maps

Conducting the Investigation

Conducting the Investigation• Individual classroom, school-wide, and cafeteria waste charts

Conducting the Investigation• Academic standards

• Professional development

• Community projects

• Field trips and guest speakers

• Hazardous waste pick-up events

• Community partner organizations

Action Plan This is the fun part!

Evaluate and Improve

Share Successes with the Community

Implement Ideas

Create Timeline, Assign Tasks, Secure Funding

Choose Projects

Brainstorm During Investigation

Action Plan

Action Plan Ideas• Set school printers to automatically print double-sided• Get reusable items for your cafeteria• Have an end-of-the-year cleaning party where unwanted items are donated to charity• Participate in Recycle Bowl or America Recycles Day with Keep America Beautiful

•Terracycle Brigades

North Routt Community Charter School

Conserve School in Wisconsin

Campus Stewardship teams – tasks to support the operation of campus and the stewardship of its resources

Lothrop Magnet School•Collected juice boxes and for planting seeds used in a sunflower research project with community partner

Sharing Your Success •Some ideas…

• Announce your project in the school and local newspapers• Throw a zero waste party for your team• Share photos and stories on PLT’s blog and facebook page• Apply for recognition as a Certified PLT GreenSchool

Sharing Your Success •Grants

• PLT has funds to be used for action projects • Keep America Beautiful affiliates can notify you of grant opportunities• Nebraska Environmental Trust• Department of Environmental Quality

Keep in mind most grants require matching funds or in-kind donations as well as reporting paperwork

Time to share YOUR ideas

Waste Recycling

Composting

Reduction and Reuse

Resourceswww.kab.org• Keep America Beautifulwww.knb.org• Keep Nebraska Beautiful www.plt.org/waste-and-recycling-investigation• Download worksheets and additional resourceswww.keeploupbasinbeautiful.org• Information on our events and local recyclingwww.wastefreelunches.org• Developing and implementing a waste-free lunch programhttp://www2.epa.gov/recycle• Reduce, reuse, recycle resources

Resourceswww.terracycle.com• Collects difficult-to-recycle

packaging and products to repurpose the material into affordable, innovative products

http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/teach_comp.htm• Information on composting in schoolshttp://greenschools.net/display.php?modin=54• Green School’s buying guide and examples of

purchasing policieshttp://www.greenchildmagazine.com/eco-friendly-fundraising/• Ideas for fundraisers

ResourcesThere are lots of ways to connect with us:

Listen to KNLV 1060AM at 1:30pm on the first and third Thursday of every month for our radio program!

Check your local newspaper for our press releases!

Follow us on Pinterest for classroom activities, crafts, decorating and gardening ideas!

”Like” us on Facebook for news, updates, articles, and pictures from our projects!Visit the Loup Basin RC&D Office in Burwell, 807 H Street in the Pathway Bank Professional Center!

Mark your calendars!Great American Clean-up March-MayEarth Day April 22Recycle Bowl October-November 15America Recycles Day November 15

What are The Keys to Success?

PERSISTENCE

Questions?

Keep Loup Basin BeautifulAnita Olson-Director

807 H Street, PO Box 400, Burwell, NE 68823

(308)-346-3393 office(308)-201-0126 mobile

info@keeploupbasinbeautiful.orgTwitter: @KeepLLBeautiful

Facebook: Keep Loup Basin Beautiful