School Resources
Are you a municipal solid waste and recycling operator that has been asked to speak to local school children? Are you an educator looking for recycling and solid waste education resources?
From hosting a trash on the lawn day to bringing recycling and solid waste education into the curriculum, you'll find all of our school-related resources below.
Fundraising and Free Recycling Programs:
Youth Service America - Youth-led project grants and awards
DonorsChoose - makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom (or school project) in need.
Grassroots Fund - Seed and Grow grant programs are designed to energize and nurture long term civic engagement in local initiatives that create and maintain healthy, just, safe and environmentally sustainable communities.
Recycle Rally - Recycle Rally is a free nationwide school recycling program designed specifically for K-12 schools. It provides access to a vast array of downloadable resources and valuable incentives.
Chicobag - ChicoBag & To-Go Ware fundraising program is a unique and healthy alternative to traditional fundraising methods. With a focus on high-quality products to help eliminate single-use items from our waste streams, fundraising with ChicoBag & To-Go Ware is fun, educational, and good for the planet.
Equal Exchange - There are lots of opportunities to raise money while supporting authentic Fair Trade and a more equitable, sustainable, and democratic food system.
e-Scrip - eScrip is the best way to raise funds for the organizations you want to support. After you’ve signed up, earning is easy - just shop at many eScrip merchants, grocers, and drug stores in your town.
Fair Trade Caravans - Raise money for your cause and do more good in the world with a fair trade fundraiser.
Greening School Fundraisers - a variety of green fundraisers for schools.
Terracycle - Recycle hard-to-recycle items at school at home, plus fundraising options.
Food Waste Diversion & Composting:
Trash On The Lawn Day (TOLD)
Help your local school host a Trash On The Lawn day! You can use the TOLD TOOLKIT to guide the overall procedure. Please note, NRRA no longer has TOLD kits to borrow, but all materials needed are listed and easy to borrow or purchase. Additionally, NRRA no longer provides individual TOLD calculations, you will need to calculate the percentages on your own.
On-Site School Composting Guide
This is the third edition of the School Composting Guide! It offers the WHY and HOW of setting up and running a successful school composting program.
Star of Sustainability
How sustainable is your school? This guide can help you assess your current sustainability of your school recycling program by assessing: collection, education, participation, motivation, and evaluation. By completing the assessment, your school will have a better idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the program.
Hazardous Materials Management
This manual is full of information and resources to help you make your school safe and environmentally responsible. It is a management tool: it does not contain everything you need to know about hazardous materials and it will not keep your school abreast of new information and regulation changes. Stay in contact with local and state agencies to ensure your school’s practices adhere to current regulations. Use the Manual’s Resource Section to find sources for more in-depth information on particular materials.
Additional Resources
- Ideas to Help Inspire K-12 Students to Recycle
41 Fun Recycling Activities for the Classroom – We Are Teachers
Free K-12 Lessons to Engage Students in Recycling and Waste Topics
Sustainable Classrooms: How to Reuse School Supplies and Save the Planet
- WEBINAR: Making the Honor Role with K-12 Waste Reduction
A Teacher's Resource Guide to Solid Waste and Recycling
The former Association of Vermont Recyclers (AVR), a leader in Vermont recycling education programs, originally created this publication 25 years ago. In 2012, the Club assumed ownership of AVR’s school resources and materials. In 2015, NRRA received funding from a USDA Rural Development grant program to update this outstanding curriculum. It now aligns with the National Common Core standards and is non-state specific. Most of the lessons were revised and the Information and Resources sections upgraded, while upholding the original concepts and objectives.
Recycle Right Toolkit Recycling 101 video presentation
This material is based upon work supported under a grant by the Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Rural Utilities Service. Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc., is an equal opportunity provider and employer.