Recycle and Cut Waste

Schools implementing wast reduction and recycling programs can save money, conserve natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling and waste account for the seventh largest source (1% of total) greenhouse gas emissions in California. By expanding programs that meet the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – schools will be on the way towards achieving our statewide goal of zero waste and a low carbon future.

District Officials

• Implement a School Waste Reduction Program

  Improve your school’s waste reduction policy. Find out how to implement a waste reduction program in your school district, facility, or classroom by checking out the resources available at School Waste Reduction. By improving recycling, composting, and waste reduction practices, you can help your school on its way to environmental and economical leadership.

• Reduce Waste in School Administrative Offices

  • Develop a district-wide policy of photocopying on both sides of the paper.
  • Use the blank side of printed material for creating draft documents and notepads.
  • Email reports instead of making printed copies.
  • Use outdated forms and letterheads for in-house memos.
  • Post general memos in central locations or on electronic bulletin pages.
  • Encourage saving documents electronically rather than in hard-copy paper format.

• Create a Reuse and Recycling Culture

  • Establish a school recycling system for paper, plastics, aluminum, and glass.
  • Purchase products with recycled content packaging.
  • Consider composting food waste.
  • Participate in recycling programs for unwanted electronic equipment.
  • Rent or lease equipment, particularly from manufacturers that will take back and recycle their goods at their "end of life."

• Set Zero Waste as your Goal

  A Zero Waste goal maximizes recycling, minimizes waste, reduces consumption and ensures that products are made to be reused, repaired or recycled back into the marketplace or the environment. Click here for information about how to implement a zero waste policy at your school.

• Implement a Composting Program

  Diverting food waste in school kitchens and cafeterias is possible with composting programs that get students involved in the process.

  • Check out this comprehensive manual for schools in Connecticut to see how they went about implementing and creating a school-wide composting program.

  • See what some San Francisco, CA schools are doing to implement a school lunchroom composting program.

  • Use the new Center for Green Schools toolkit "Sharing the Table: A Roadmap to Reducing and Recovering Surplus Food in Schools" to reduce food waste.

• Use Organic Mulch In Landscaping

  Mulch is used around trees and shrubs to contribute to soil fertility and structure of the plants. Some utilities, such as SMUD, offer free wood chips to use as mulch. Compost, leaves and grass trimmings can also be used as mulch. Learn more here.

Teachers

• Collect School Supplies from Reuse and Exchange Programs

  School supplies don’t have to be new. There are many programs that offer reusable, exchanged, or repurposed school supplies in California and the nation. Many local businesses donate unused office supplies that can be used by school teachers for their classrooms. Check out CalRecycle's Materials Exchange website for a list of resources.

• Teach Students About Composting

  Help divert waste by implementing a composting program in your classroom or by simply teaching students about composting.

  • "Do the Rot Thing: A Teacher’s Guide to Compost Activities" is an activity booklet, originally produced by the Alameda County Waste Management Authority that includes classroom activities and student project ideas.

  • "Composting in the Classroom: Scientific Inquiry for High School Students" is a free, comprehensive guide for teachers interested in guiding composting research projects by high school students.

  • Check out lesson plans and activity ideas from San Francisco schools (K-5) or (6-12) that have implemented a school composting program.

Students

• Learn How to Recycle and Cut Waste

  Recycling can be fun! It’s one of the easiest things you can do to help keep California cool. Learn how you can reduce, reuse, and recycle with Recycle Rex, Department of Conservation’s spokesdinosaur. He’ll teach you all about the different things you can recycle – plastic, glass, paper, and more. You can also participate in a recycle challenge and get your school class highlighted on Recycle Rex’s website.

  

• Learn About Composting and Worm Bins

  Creating compost and/or worm bins is a great way to help reduce waste.

  • Learn how to set-up your own composting bin by following this slideshow presentation by Robert E. Richter.

  • Let "Willie the Worm" teach you about composting on his Michigan state website.