Waste and Recycling
- Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools: EPA’s Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools helps your school and school district reduce the amount of waste you generate. You’ll learn how to start a waste reduction program or expand an existing one. The guide will show you how your program can benefit your school, your community, and the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling your waste.
- Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste Audits: This student food waste audit guide is intended to help educate students about the amount of food they waste in
their school cafeterias and to encourage them to reduce waste and eat more of the nutritious foods provided through USDA’s school meals programs or brought from home. - School Recycling Program Implementation Plan: Planning document for starting a recycling program at your school.
- How to Start A Recycling Program: Do you cringe whenever a classmate throws out a recyclable bottle, can, or paper? Help put a stop to this by starting a recycling program at your school. Visit this site to find out how.
Composting
- Compost Guide for Educators: KidsGardening and Subpod have teamed up to release a Compost Guide for Educators! This guide teaches the basics of composting, how easy it is to get started, and the many benefits of compost to your garden, community, and the planet.
- Cornell Waste Management Institute: Includes lots of free downloads including: “Composting in the Classroom” and “It’s Gotten Rotten”, a science of composing video.
Education / Curriculum
- EPA’s Basic Information about Waste: Grades 9-12
- EPA P2 (Pollution Prevention) Toolbox: Grades 6-8: The toolbox contains a series of four-page lesson plans on various pollution prevention concepts for schools.
- The Quest for Less: Activities and Resources for Teaching K-8. Use this resource to develop lesson plans and incorporate a range of activities into various subject areas throughout the school year.
- EPA Resources for Waste Education: These online activities make learning about recycling fun! Students will love the colorful graphics and educational activities (Grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12)
- PBS Kids – Meet the Greens: Recycling Activity Guide and other resources such as episodes to view and more.
- Worm Composting -Everything you need to do worm composting in the classroom