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Environment Matters: Winter 2004 |
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In This Issue...
7-12th Grade Students Can Make a Difference!The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste announces the availability of the "Make a Difference" kit, a collection of outreach products to encourage students in grades 7–12 to make a difference by learning about the environmental impacts of the products they use in their everyday lives, initiating school or community reuse and recycling programs, and finding and participating in environmental volunteer and service-learning programs. Visit the educational resources page to order a kit and to see other environmental educational materials. 5th Annual Recycled Product Trade ShowMarch 10-11, 2004 For the past four years, the Board has hosted the Recycled Product Trade Show, in partnership with other public agencies and the private sector. The trade show, now in its fifth year, has become a high-profile priority to the Board and the premiere West Coast event. The purpose of the show is to promote recycling-based businesses and the purchasing of recycled-content products (RCP) and environmentally preferable products (EPP). The show brings together more than 100 exhibitors and over 2000 attendees--buyers, specification writers, project managers, and support staff--all the people that make procurement decisions. The Recycled Product Trade Show provides an opportunity for RCP and EPP suppliers to gain access to procurement leaders in the largest markets in the country, and allows government, industry, and school purchasing officials the opportunity to become familiar with the wide array of RCPs and EPPs. Attendees can place orders and conduct business with suppliers on the trade show floor to help them meet their unique RCP and EPP procurement requirements. Buying RCPs and EPPs is not only good for the environment, but good for business as well. Recycling-based businesses support markets by creating jobs and producing value-added goods from materials diverted from local waste streams, while supplying products to meet the growing environment-friendly purchasing needs of government agencies, schools, and businesses. Along with myriad of other RCPs and EPPs, this year’s show will highlight sustainable building products and services–-products with low embodied energy, long life spans, no or low volatile organic compounds. These products can save you money--even those that may cost the same or slightly more up front will save money in the long run through reduced maintenance and replacement costs. Why Attend…? For more information, visit the Trade Show web page or contact Mary Farr at (916) 341-6481 or mfarr@ciwmb.ca.gov. 2003 Waste Reduction SurveyHas your school district completed its 2003 waste reduction survey? Does your district have waste reduction programs in place such as making double-sided copies, leaving grass clippings on the lawn, or using washable plastic lunch trays? Let us know! In early December, a letter was sent to every California superintendent regarding the new online school waste reduction survey. This letter included a user name and password to ensure the correct information would be captured for each district. This survey is important to collect information about what is going on in schools, provide outreach and assistance, and develop peer-matching opportunities. We are encouraging all superintendents to fill this out or to have the person at your district with recycling and waste reduction program knowledge to complete it as soon as possible. The results of this survey will be placed on our Web site along with prior survey information. We look forward to receiving your 2003 information. If you have misplaced your letter with your user name and password, please give us a call at (916) 341- 6199. School DEEL Unified Education Strategy Grant ProgramIntroduction The purpose of the School DEEL Program is to focus on building and bridging school district waste diversion and resource conservation programs with standards-based instructional strategies. The principle goals of the UES, as described in the legislation, are to:
Grants Awarded The competitive grant process for UES grant awards took place from January through March 2003. Fourteen grant proposals were recommended for funding. There are currently 13 grantees participating in the program. They are:
During the last several months, grantees have attended a two-day training workshop which focused on developing a campus needs assessment (CNA); begun working in teams at their specific sites to further develop their CNAs; and some grantees have field-tested their CNAs. In January and February 2004, they will continue field-testing and revising their CNAs and create their implementation plans for Phase Two funding consideration by the Board. All of the UES grantees have enthusiasm and great dedication to the projects and programs they are developing. In summer 2004 the grantees’ teams will attend a four-day training institute on the EIC ModelTM. They will continue to receive technical assistance from the Board and its consultant, the State Education and Environment Roundtable, creators of the EIC ModelTM. The Board looks forward to developing web pages to spotlight the progress and products that the UES grantees will produce during 2004. Check our web site frequently for more information about this exciting program. In the Next Issue...In the spring 2004 issue of Environment Matters, look for exciting information on new resources for teachers. 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: September 18, 2008 Office of Education and the Environment http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Schools/ Contact: EEI@calepa.ca.gov (916) 341-6769 |