Tehama County Educators

 

The classroom is an ideal place to put Waste Awareness practices into action!

Tehama County Waste Awareness Curriculum Portfolio

The Tehama County Solid Waste Management Agency developed the Tehama County Waste Awareness Curriculum based on Tehama County waste and recycling statistics. The curriculum meets state content standards for 4th, 5th, and 6th grades and covers topics that include ecology, biology, economics, chemistry, mathematics, social studies and more. Students will not only learn the benefits of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, repurchasing, and composting, but will make a practical contribution to the reduction of waste the school is paying to have removed. Additionally, students tend to take these practices home to share with family members, multiplying the benefits of the classroom learning experience.

To access the curriculum, click the link above or click here.

Agency staff are happy to teach any of the activities in the curriculum portfolio to Tehama County students or prepare educators with the necessary materials to conduct the lesson on their own.

In addition to the Tehama County Waste Awareness Curriculum Portfolio, the California Education and Environmental Initiative of the California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed an outstanding reference for teaching the relationship between Mass Production, Marketing and Consumption During the Roaring Twenties and its impact on natural systems. The EPA also produced an engaging lesson plan to accompany Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax highlighting resource conservation and overconsumption. Visit the California Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) website to view complete free state-sponsored K-12 curriculum that teaches science and history-social science standards through an environmental lens. Additionally, EEI curriculum supports the Common Core.

To schedule a classroom lesson, prep session and/or receive the Agency’s Tehama County Educators Waste Awareness Enewsletter, please contact the Agency Recycling Program Analyst or call (530) 528-1103.

Implementing Classroom Recycling

Three are many recycling programs that can be instituted in the classroom. The Agency is happy to help your school implement a student managed or facilities maintenance managed recycling program. Many schools such as Bidwell Elementary, Reeds Creek, Jackson Heights, and Evergreen Elementary already have. Contact us today! Classrooms can compete to see which one recycles the most. They can also calculate how many trees have been saved by recycling. The Recycling Coordinator can help each classroom and/or the entire school perform a waste assessment or survey. The objective of a school waste survey is to introduce the idea to your students and staff that garbage does not just disappear once it is collected in your garbage can. You can’t just throw it away. It can be compacted and buried, but the garbage must all go somewhere. This survey will show students the quantity of their waste at school that is in fact recyclable. You can conduct a waste survey of your classroom, school or home using these concepts.

Methods

  • Survey A Have teachers and students save the garbage from their classroom for one day.

  • Survey B Have students conduct a one day assessment of classroom and food service waste for one lunch period for the entire school.

  • Survey C Have students conduct a visual waste assessment of the contents of the school dumpster.

The Recycling Coordinator can help assist classrooms or entire schools conduct a Waste Free Lunch. Sacred Heart Elementary School was successful in conducting waste free lunch days in 2009 and 2010. Your school can be successful too! Ask the Recycling Coordinator for assistance.

The Agency has FREE deskside recycling containers that can be provided for all classrooms and multi-purpose rooms, while supplies last. Contact the Recycling Program Analyst or call (530) 528-1103.

Beyond the Classroom: Schoolwide Recycling

The primary focus on schoolwide recycling should start at the cafeteria. Cafeterias produce over 70% of a school’s waste stream! Cardboard recycling is the easiest and most beneficial way to reduce kitchen waste. Oftentimes recycling cardboard can cut disposal costs by a third. In addition to cardboard, the usual items such as metal cans, plastic bottles and cartons, and paper products can also be recycled. Students can compost their food waste in a vermiculture composting bin or traditional outdoor composting bin. The Recycling Program Analyst is happy to assist in the development of schoolwide recycling and composting programs.

If beverage containers are sold at your school, bottle and can recycling is a great way to not only reduce waste, but to serve as a fundraiser for school activities. Beverage container receptacles should be placed where the students purchase and consume beverages (snack bars, gyms, stadiums). Beverage container recycling receptacles can also be provided free of charge, while supplies last.

​Recycling Fundraising

Receive cash to fund the school or charity of your choice for collecting the following recycables:

Note: For printer cartridges and cellphones – each organization provides a pre-paid box for you to mail the collected items to them.

Landfill Tours

Would you like to bring your classroom to the Tehama County/Red Bluff Landfill and Recycling Facility? Facility staff are available to conduct tours and present a general overview of what goes on at a recycling facility, where peoples trash end up, and what we can do to recycle more. For information on Facility tours, email the Recycling Program Analyst or call (530) 528-1103.

Premiering…

Agency staff converted a bus into the 4Rs Kids Exhibit, a mobile Waste Awareness experience to serve as a ‘field trip on wheels’. The program is designed to visit Tehama County schools allowing students access to hands-on learning exhibits within the bus. Call (530) 528-1103 to schedule your class today!

​Kids

​Kids, Let’s Have Some Fun!

Ever wonder what happens to trash? Any item placed in a trash can is collected and transported to the Tehama County/Red Bluff Landfill. Check out how landfills work to learn more.

What happens to my recyclables? When placed in a recycling bin, the recyclable materials end up at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) onsite at the Tehama County/Red Bluff Landfill.

Can you navigate through the Landfill Maze? Make the right choices along the way to reduce waste and help keep the landfill from growing.

Remember the 4Rs:

                          Reduce

                            Reuse

                              Recycle

                                 Rebuy

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