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Environment Matters: Spring 2002 |
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In This Issue...Welcome From the Chair!Welcome to the first issue of Environment Matters, a Web-based newsletter dedicated to keeping you informed of new and exciting school-related developments at the California Integrated Waste Management Board. It is with great enthusiasm that I bring this new communication tool to your attention. We have many innovative projects and programs happening at the Board that we want to share with our customers and, in turn, get our customers' feedback on our products and services. This online newsletter promises to keep you up to date on our efforts and provide you with valuable resources that you may not know exist. Here at the Board, there is never a dull moment. Let me give you an example. With the recent passage of the School DEEL, staff at the Board will be spending a great deal of time in 2002 strategizing, coordinating, and collaborating with many different partners as we strive to develop a unified and integrated environment-based education plan for K-12 grades. Some of you reading this newsletter may have received a needs assessment survey in the mail and hopefully have already completed and returned it. That is our first step—to get input from active teachers and administrators on the current state of environment-based education in our schools. Your input will help guide the Board as we work to help schools implement environment-based education as a means to meet the content standards and help raise test scores. Stay tuned for more articles on this topic in future issues. The fact that you received this first issue means that you have already reached out to make a difference in your classroom, school, district, or community. Please use this newsletter as a reference for funding opportunities, case studies, award programs, publications, events, and other resources to help sustain the momentum your efforts have created. You can continue to inspire others in your community, while helping us reach an even larger segment of the education community, by inviting your colleagues and contacts to sign up to receive the next issue of Environment Matters! Linda Moulton-Patterson Resource Guide for School District Waste ReductionThe Board’s Office of Local Assistance is excited to announce a new Web-based resource guide for school district waste reduction. The guide provides information on programs that can be implemented to reduce the amount of solid waste generated and save resources and money in all areas of a school district (e.g., administration, maintenance and operations, offices, food service, etc.)! Additionally, information is offered regarding contracting for disposal and recycling services, school waste composition, model programs, and more. The guide is intended for school district administrators, teachers, students, parents, and city and county recycling coordinators. Many school districts have already improved their economic and environmental performance through waste reduction initiatives like those described in the guide. Throughout the guide, you will also have the opportunity to learn about their accomplishments. If you have questions or need assistance getting started on a waste reduction program in your school district, please contact Terri Gray with the Office of Local Assistance at (916) 341-6252 or tgray@ciwmb.ca.gov. 3rd Annual Recycled Product Trade ShowApril 4–5, 2002 It’s not too late to register for one of the most interesting trade shows of the year! If you’re interested in recycled-content products, sustainable building, or environmentally preferable purchasing, you’ll learn something at this 2-day event on April 4–5, 2002. The show is free, registration's easy, and it’s at the Disneyland® Hotel in Anaheim. Register now online or you can register on-site. School district staff, particularly those involved in purchasing or approving purchases, will enjoy the opportunity to see the latest recycled-content products and talk directly with the vendors and manufacturers. In addition, the Board will conduct a free workshop about the School DEEL at 3:30 p.m. on April 4. You must sign up to attend this free workshop. Admission is absolutely free! Breakfast and lunch are available for purchase on-site for a nominal fee. This year's recycled product trade show is sponsored by the Board and the Department of General Services, in association with Disney. Calling All Ambassadors!Do you know of an exemplary program that promotes waste prevention and/or combines instructional strategies with on-campus programs, like composting and recycling? If you answered "yes," then we need to talk to you. The Board is developing a recognition program for implementation in 2003 but, in the meantime, we want to begin cataloging existing programs that have merit and are good role models for other districts who haven't started a program yet. To make this easy, we are giving you the option of contacting us by phone, fax, or e-mail. Please take a few minutes to contact us with a brief description of the program. We'll take it from there and collect any additional information we may need. We think it's high-time that schools and districts are recognized for their efforts at going the extra mile to make schools a healthier, cleaner, and more prosperous learning environment. Don't be shy, tell us your story by contacting:
Waste Tire Playground Cover Grant ProgramThe Board's Waste Tire Playground Cover Grant Program seeks to reduce the number of California's waste tires that go to landfill disposal or are stockpiled. For the upcoming fiscal year 2002/03, which begins in July, $800,000 has been appropriated in grant funding although actual grant awards are contingent upon and subject to the availability of funds. These grants are awarded on a competitive basis and cannot exceed $25,000 for any jurisdiction. Public entities that operate and manage a public playground in California can apply (e.g., cities, counties, a city and county, colleges, universities, school districts, qualifying California Indian tribes, park districts, special districts, and public recreational facilities). Only one application per jurisdiction will be accepted for this grant cycle. The final filing date for the 2002/03 Waste Tire Playground Cover Grant Program is June 7, 2002. For more information, call the Tire Recycling Hotline at (916) 341-6441. The School DEELIn September 2001, the Governor signed into law the School Diversion and Environmental Education Law (DEEL), formerly referred to as Senate Bill (SB) 373 (Torlakson, Chapter 926, Statutes of 2001), which creates many more program mandates for the Board's Office of Education and the Environment and Office of Local Assistance. These mandates will help us to further our mission of assisting schools establish an integrated systems model where academics, administration, and facilities work collaboratively to incorporate resource conservation and sustainability into their organizational philosophy, planning, and implementation. With the cooperation and participation of key players and our stakeholders, we hope to realize many successes as we embrace the spirit of the law and unfold the programs it intended to produce. Stay tuned to our Web site for updates on our progress and the availability of grant funds. The Adventures of Vermi the Worm!Would you like to energize your lesson plans? Would your students get excited about learning if they got to use the computer? If you answered "Yes!" to either of these questions, then we have the teaching tool you've been looking for. It's an animated, interactive Web site—The Adventures of Vermi the Worm!—that teaches the "3Rs" of waste management—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle! Your students will go on an adventure with Vermi the Worm as he visits a school garden and hooks up with his buddies, Bubba the Worm, Hugh Hammer, Sunny Flower, and Trashcan. At each stop, students will learn something about vermicomposting or the 3Rs and have the chance to participate interactively by helping their new buddies. At the worm bin, they'll help regulate the worms' habitat; at the garden, they'll do an experiment using vermicompost; with Trashcan, they'll make choices on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle, thus saving items from ending up in the garbage. And there's much more! This activity can be used in conjunction with classroom lessons; as part of school gardening activities; or as a self-contained, computer-based experience for your students. Use it with small groups or let students explore individually. The Adventures of Vermi the Worm! would make great use of computer lab time for your students. These activities are correlated to the State content standards. Correlations can be found on the teacher's page located within the site. Though the site was designed at the 3rd grade level, you may find it applicable for younger and older students. So give it a try and then share it with your students. Want Posters?The Board is pleased to be able to provide colorful posters to help coordinate and promote your waste reduction efforts. These posters are available to California businesses, local governmental agencies, and educational institutions in limited quantities at no charge. You can view and order the posters online. For more information, send an e-mail to bzassist@ciwmb.ca.gov, or call (916) 341-6363. In the Next Issue...Look for exciting news about grants and high performance schools in the summer issue of Environment Matters. Subscribe Now!If you or one of your colleagues would like to be notified when the next issue of Environment Matters is available to view, please join our Environment Matters ListServ. |
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Last updated: April 04, 2008 Office of Education and the Environment http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Schools/ Contact: EEI@calepa.ca.gov (916) 341-6769 |