Contact your local solid waste hauler or your city hall for information that can be used for teaching today's students about solid waste management, recycling, landfills and more. Additional resouces can be found on the EPA's Web site as well as the NDSWRA Directory which will be available on line shortly.
Aluminum Can Challenge for K-12 Schools
The Can Manufacturer's Institute is offering $1,000 to the top school that recycles the most aluminum cans per capita between November 15, 2010 (America Recycles Day) and April 22, 2011 (Earth Day). Visit www.cancentral.com/RoundUp/ for more information or to sign up.
Keep America Beautiful Recycle Bowl Contest for Schools
Keep America Beautiful (KAB) conducts an annual contest in the fall for all schools. The top school from each state (school which collects the most recyclables per student) wins $1,000 plus a chance to enter the national competition and win up to $5,000. Visit www.recycle-bowl.org for more info.
Recycling Kit Locations
In 2010, through an EPA grant, the NDSWRA created and located educational recycling kits in every county in North Dakota. They were originally sent to the third grade teacher at the largest elementary school in each county. See the list below to find the one nearest you. Keep scrolling to see a description of the kit contents.
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|
 |
| County |
Largest Elementary School |
City |
| ADAMS |
Hettinger Public School |
Hettinger |
| BARNES |
Jefferson Elem School |
Valley City |
| BENSON |
Minnewaukan Public School |
Minnewaukan |
| BILLINGS |
DeMores Elem School |
Medora |
| BOTTINEAU |
Bottineau Elem School |
Bottineau |
| BOWMAN |
Bowman Co Elementary |
Bowman |
| BURKE |
Burke Central Public School |
Lignite |
| BURLEIGH |
Rita Murphy Elem School |
Bismarck |
| CASS |
Bennett Elem School |
Fargo |
| CAVALIER |
Langdon Area Elem School |
Langdon |
| DICKEY |
Oakes Elem School |
Oakes |
| DIVIDE |
Divide County Elem School |
Crosby |
| DUNN |
Killdeer Public School |
Killdeer |
| EDDY |
New Rockford-Sheyenne Public School |
New Rockford |
| EMMONS |
Linton Public School |
Linton |
| FOSTER |
Carrington Elem School |
Carrington |
| GOLDEN VALLEY |
Lincoln Elem School |
Beach |
| GRAND FORKS |
Century Elem School |
Grand Forks |
| GRANT |
Roosevelt Elem School |
Carson |
| GRIGGS |
Griggs Co Central Public School |
Cooperstown |
| HETTINGER |
New England Public School |
New England |
| KIDDER |
Steele-Dawson Public School |
Steele |
| LAMOURE |
LaMoure Public School |
LaMoure |
| LOGAN |
Napoleon Public School |
Napoleon |
| MCHENRY |
Velva Public School |
Velva |
| MCINTOSH |
Wishek Public School |
Wishek |
| MCKENZIE |
Watford City Elem School |
Watford City |
| MCLEAN |
Bob Callies Elem School |
Garrison |
| MERCER |
Beulah Elem School |
Beulah |
| MORTON |
Lewis and Clark Elem School |
Mandan |
| MOUNTRAIL |
Edwin Loe Elem School |
New Town |
| NELSON |
Dakota Prairie Elem School |
McVille |
| OLIVER |
Center-Stanton Public School |
Center |
| PEMBINA |
Cavalier Public School |
Cavalier |
| PIERCE |
Rugby Ely Elem School |
Rugby |
| RAMSEY |
Prairie View Elem School |
Devils Lake |
| RANSOM |
Lisbon Elem School |
Lisbon |
| RENVILLE |
Glenburn Public School |
Glenburn |
| RICHLAND |
Central Elem School |
Wahpeton |
| ROLETTE |
Turtle Mt Comm Elem School |
Belcourt |
| SARGENT |
North Sargent Public School |
Gwinner |
| SHERIDAN |
McClusky Elem School |
McClusky |
| SIOUX |
Cannon Ball Elem School |
Cannon Ball |
| SLOPE |
Marmarth Elem School |
Marmarth |
| STARK |
Lincoln Elem School |
Dickinson |
| STEELE |
Finley-Sharon Public School |
Finley |
| STUTSMAN |
Roosevelt Elem School |
Jamestown |
| TOWNER |
North Star Public School |
Cando |
| TRAILL |
Peter Boe Jr Elem School |
Mayville |
| WALSH |
Century Elem School |
Grafton |
| WARD |
Edison Elem School |
Minot |
| WELLS |
B M Hanson Elem School |
Harvey |
| WILLIAMS |
Rickard Elem School |
Williston |
Each kit contains examples of what can be recycled (like a newspaper, plastic bottle, etc.) and what they get made into (egg carton, carpeting, etc.) along with a booklet of tips on how to reduce, reuse and recycle and a DVD titled "The Rotten Truth". The DVD is an excellent video that talks about landfills, recycling, waste reduction and composting. See the letter (PDF) for a list of what is in each kit. Each kit also has a checkout list so that others (from schools, extension offices, public works offices, etc.) can borrow the kit to educate the public, students and others about recycling and waste reduction.
Campus Efforts
Many of North Dakota's universities and colleges are becoming interested in starting or improving recycling programs on their campuses. The following are active programs in our state that we are aware of (if you'd like to add your school to the list, please contact us):
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Minot State University, contact: Paul Lepp, (701) 858-3508
-
University of North Dakota, contact: Debbie Merrill, (701) 777-4878
- North Dakota State University
- Dickinson State University
EPA Region 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) has been working to put together a comprehensive list of any and all Region 8 college/university recycling and sustainability contacts. As they continue to build this list, it is their hope to work more effectively with the educational institutions in our States regarding recycling, pollution prevention,and sustainability efforts. They hope to facilitate a better Region 8 network and encourage participation in national campus pollution prevention and sustainability efforts as well as pass along grant opportunities and other resources relevant to colleges and universities. The following resources have been identified for campuses to participate in:
- EPA's Game Day Challenge! This is a friendly competition for colleges and universities to promote waste reduction at their football games. This Challenge is an initiative of the EPA’s WasteWise program. During the month of October, colleges and universities will implement waste reduction programs during a home football game. Schools will track and report recycling and waste data that will then be used to rank the schools. EPA will announce the winning schools in November. Contact: Virginia Till (till.virginia@epa.gov) or Kim Bartels (bartels.kim@epa.gov). For more details,
go to: www.epa.gov/osw/partnerships/wastewise/challenge/gameday/index.htm.
- RecycleMania is a friendly recycling competition and bench marking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities. The dates are set for the official 8 week competition to run between February 6 and April 2, 2011. For more information go to: www.recyclemania.org.
Transparency Recycling Program from 3M
Some schools still have transparency sheets for projecting information in the classroom. The following information will help you start a program in your office or department:
- Over 15 million pounds of polyester from transparencies is dumped into landfills each year.
- Most overhead transparencies are made from Type I polyester, the same material that soda bottles are made from. These transparencies are not accepted by most community recycling centers.
- The 3M Corporation recognized this problem and started a program to recycle their transparencies. Anyone can send transparencies to be recycled to the 3M address listed below. The transparencies are shredded upon their arrival at 3M, therefore insuring confidentiality. The shredded material is then converted to fiber fill that is used to make carpets, office chairs, insulating products, automotive products, and more transparencies.
- To participate, collect transparencies from your office or department (or organize a place/drop-off bin on your campus and have one department mail them in). If you send them to 3M, send them book freight and please be sure to indicate on the return address what department they are from and include "North Dakota State University" or whatever college/university you are with. Ship or mail transparencies direct for recycling to: 3M Recycle Program c/o Gemark, 99 Stevens Lane, Exeter, PA 18643. For more information, see 3M's Web site.
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