2.3 Solid waste reduction
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Fifth Grade students have the opportunity to participate in the Environmentalist Instructional Seminar. This Instructional Seminar meets during students' recess times, and often their lunch time as well. During the weekly meetings, students learn how the environment is affected by solid waste and plan strategies to inform the rest of the student body at Waterloo.
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2014 - 2015 school year
During the 2014 - 2015 school year, students presented to each grade level during their lunch times. Students created a PowerPoint to show the importance of recycling and encouraged the use of recyclable materials and containers. A "recycling center" was created in the cafeteria and student ambassadors worked together to lead grade levels in understanding of what was recyclable during clean-up times. Stemming from this, student ambassadors took part during clean-up times during primary lunch shifts the entire year to encourage the youngest students to protect the Earth.
In addition, students created a hallway "Recycling Center" for ease of use by classrooms. They also created signs for the Teacher's Lounge to encourage teachers to recycle as well!
2015 - 2016 School Year
Everyday Environmentalists continued their predecessors idea of educating students about the importance of recycling. However, they decided to see if they could educate students in classrooms. They chose to connect with teachers through journal writing to schedule classroom presentation times. Once scheduled, they led a discussion about the importance of recycling and had students take part in sorting recyclable materials from non-recyclable materials.
crayola colorcycle
In addition to continuing the initiatives set into place by their predecessors, the fifth grade Green Team, Everyday Environmentalists, also instituted a Crayola marker and crayon recycling program. They collected cereal boxes, created recycling boxes and distributed them to every classroom teacher, related arts teacher and independent area (office, Guidance, etc.) throughout the school. Each month, the Environmentalists collect the boxes, count markers/crayons, and return the boxes to their locations. Thus far, they have kept well over 1,200 markers out of the landfill!