This is a research project in partnership between Engr308 Technology and the Environment and the Fuente Nueva charter school, during Fall 2013. The project includes analyzing the waste profile and impacts of trash from the Fuente Nueva campus in Arcata, Humboldt County, California, as well as devising an implementable plan to ameliorate the impacts.

Teams

Physical Infrastructure Lab 1

Team: Michael Wold, Annika Ragsdale, Jeff Wastell,Gladys Arechiga, sarah cruz

Objective: State the objective of your part of the project, e.g. The objective is to design a feasible plan for site infrastructure that reduces waste and waste impacts. The plan will include bins, bin placement, waste flows, and actual signage.

Physical Infrastructure Lab 2

Team: Christian Nielsen, Dylan Hills, Brittney Goldie

Objective: State the objective of your part of the project, e.g. The objective is to design a feasible plan for site infrastructure that reduces waste and waste impacts. The plan will include bins, bin placement, waste flows, and actual signage.

Education Lab 1

Team: Athena Vescott Annette Penny

Objective: State the objective of your part of the project, e.g. The objective is to design a feasible plan for site infrastructure that reduces waste and waste impacts. The plan will include bins, bin placement, waste flows, and actual signage. Make sure to include something about working with children, video for children and adults, and lesson plans.

Education Lab 2

Team: Jina Ayres, Beau Hopkins, Giusseppe Raymundo, Jacquelynnn Dufour, Karla Virrueta

Objective: The objective of our group is to research and implement an educational plan for zero waste at Fuente Nueva. We plan to develop lesson plans on waste reduction, recycling, and composting. We plan to work with the children of Fuente Nueva directly, interacting and teaching them about waste. We also plan to develop educational videos for the children and adults, as well as a video that documents the Fall '13 Engr 308 class working on the Fuente Nueva Waste Project.

Plan Lab 1

Team: Everett Williams , Jeesum Lei, Victor Arredondo, Rachael McCain

Objective: To provide a framework of phases which will be incorporated throughout the project from start to finish. One member will collaborate, onsite at the school, to document each phase and then make a power point. Another member will do research on grants and act as a technical writer which will then provide analysis with team Meta. The last objective is to provide a methodology which will be utilized for research and scholarly purposes,this will then be used as a base line, for cost and benefit analysis, for future approaches.

Plan Lab 2

Team: Nathan Fisch, Andrew Rutledge, Cory Brinkman

Objective: To offset any additional requirements or needs that are given by Lab 1 and also to have one member reconcile the Planning team as a whole by email, Google docs, and other media/physical resources that will keep the planning group on task. One member might possibly be a grant writer from this group, this has yet to be determined based on grant availability and local channel communication from Lab 1.

Meta

Team: Drew Harrington, Nick Hurn, Anthony Gordon, Bri Bachtell, and Casildo Perez.

Objective: The objective of this team is to; aid in project management, organize information on the wiki, create an excel layout for data entry and polish final information in spreadsheets generated by the other teams in order to have a final product that is effective, presentable, and accessible.

Research

Use wiki markup for references, which is the following format:

  • Information. <ref>URL or Title of reference. </ref>

See Help:Footnotes for more.

Every team needs to research the embedded energy, CO2, mass and volume of typical waste materials from a grade school, e.g. those little milk cartons.

Physical Infrastructure Research

You will want research relating to: existing physical infrastructure such as bins and signage at schools in general; best waste practices in K-6 (or K-8) schools; costs and styles of waste bins that could be used; etc. Please come up with more topics and add your research here with the format listed above (under (#Research). Let The Games Begin

Annika Ragsdale’s research topics:

Research topic #1: Creating effective signage Peer-reviewed journal article: Tracey, M. D. (2005, October). Crafting persuasive pro-environmental messages. Monitor on Psychology, 36(9). http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct05/persuasive.aspx

Summary: Focusing on social norms is the most effective way to see results from posted sign such as, saying “join your classmates in recycling!” Focusing on the "do's" instead of "don'ts" is more effective to see results. Using phrases like "do this for the environment" or "do this to save resources" is one of the least effective ways to make a sign work.

Research topic #2: Why is recycling important?

Brown, L. (2009). Plan B 4.0. Stabilizing Climate: An Energy Efficiency Revolution (pp. 97-108). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Summary: Why recycling is important: “Beyond reducing materials use, the energy savings from recy-cling are huge. Steel made from recycled scrap takes only 26 per-cent as much energy as that from iron ore. For aluminum, the figure is just 4 percent. Recycled plastic uses only 20 percent as much energy. Recycled paper uses 64 percent as much—and with far fewer chemicals during processing.” In the United States, 29% of garbage is recycled, if we could raise this percentage, we would be able to conserve our resources further and save much more energy.


(Also, here's some case studies of effective school recycling programs:) http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/lgcentral/Library/Innovations/Procurement/Schools/Casestudies.htm


Christian Nielsen’s Research Topics:

Research Topic #3: Reuse is just as important as recycle Peer-reviewed Journal Article: John Tierney (June 30, 1996) New York Times: “Rinsing out tuna cans and tying up newspapers may make you feel virtuous, but recycling could be America’s most wasteful activity.” www.web.williams.edu/HistSci/curriculum/101/garbage.html

Summary: Looking at value and adding resourcefulness and creativity is what is needed in our future. Why because we are by nature wasteful beings, but that doesn't have to reflect how we always will be. Reusing is just as important as recycling. Changing the culture of waste is not something that will go smoothly or soundly but if we start at the smallest roots, meaning our children. Then our future looks a whole lot brighter than before. Reusing newspapers as coloring sheets and decorations or wrapping paper was ideas that grew from this article. Looking at the value of the material and adding creativity is what will spark a change. Its all about being resourceful and efficient at the same time.[1]

Research Topic #4:Incorporating everyone positively together to recycle will strengthen the system Peters, Kim (1998) Community-Based Waste Management for Environmental Management and Income Generation in Low-Income Areas: A Case Study of Nairobi, Kenya. In association with Mazingira Institute Nairobi, Kenya March 1998. Published by City Farmer, Canada’s office of Urban Agriculture

Summary:

A positive and committed community atmosphere centered around the recycling system is needed for it to achieve full potential: If there is a positive reinforcement to commitment of recycling than it is more likely to occur. In Nairobi, Kenya being involved in the community recycling system means more opportunities and a chance at a better more comfortable life. These are values that should be preached to the children through our bins and signage. These signs must positively reinforce the need and commitment to recycle.

Allowing everyone to get involved makes it second nature that it occurs, like a routine.; Creating a recycling club or a recycling system that is centralized with the school. Appropriate positive energy levels and traffic patterns incorporated will make it easy for the children to develop muscle memory when conducting the tasks of recycling and reusing when using the bins and reading the signage Allowing everyone to get involved will help form a sense of belonging. Since we are not educational but infrastructure I took this as what if every child was able to help decorate and build the system. This could spawns a sense of pride in recycling and its pride in the accomplishment of building the system.

Reusing of organic materials is just as important as recycling inorganic products: A composting system that is easy to access is something that could greatly impact the success of the recycling. It allows the children to step outside the norm of recycling bottles and newspapers and lets the children see recycling grow and mold over into something very useful and helpful. Seeing a compost system incorporated into this project should be a high priority of ours. We could incorporate it into the cafeteria recycling signs [2]

Research Topic #5: Signage must be simple, noticeable, and effective.

Interview: Brittany Peishel, Humboldt State University Child Development Major.

Summary:When asked about what is the most effective way to get these images across to third, fourth, and fifth graders; Brittany responded with an easy answer, Simple but flashy. She said that at that age most children are aware of what signs are around them as in advertising, rule and regulations, technology. She suggested that we look into what captures their eyes like sports, art, cartoons, exc. and use that to help design the signs that will help direct the children to the bins. She also said the less words the better, citing that children want the fast and easy thing not the stand their and absorb it product.

Education Research

You will want research relating to: existing waste curriculum for schools; existing waste education videos for school; information on how K-5 students learn; etc. Please come up with more topics and add your research here with the format listed above (under (#Research).

Beau Hopkins Interview with children about waste & recycling:

Q: What do you know about recycling?

A1: I don’t know anything about it.

A2: I know that when you recycle something, it can be used again in another item but different from what it originally was.

Q: Where do you think waste goes after you throw it out?

A1: It goes to the dump but I don’t know about places like that.

A2: I think waste used to go to the ocean, but now since we have garbage trucks it now goes to the dump and somebody goes through it and the useless stuff gets burned up.

Beau Hopkins Peer Review Article: The Social Context of Recycling

"The most important determinant of recycling behavior is access to a structured, institutionalized program that makes recycling easy and convenient" (The Social Context of Recycling) [3]

Beau Hopkins Book: Recycling, for the future: it's everybody's business

“Bellevue, WA enjoyed one of the highest single family recycling rates at 61% in 1997, and perhaps the highest multi-family recycling rate as well. In 1998, multi-family housing residents recycled 21.7 pounds of recyclables per month per household. Bellevue’s Neighbors for Recycling volunteer program trains residents to educate the community about recycling. More than 500 residents have participated in Bellevue’s personalized outreach activities and today, 97% of multi-family buildings in Bellevue participate in recycling.” (Recycling, for the future: it's everybody's business) [4]

Athena Vescott Peer Review Article: Launching Zero Waste Schools:
Several elementary schools in Illinois initiated zero waste programs making students leaders to educate and take charge of the waste at the school. "Students selected as Waste Ambassadors have designed posters to educate other students, teachers, parents and visitors about their zero waste efforts. The learning process for the 4th grade Holmes Waste Ambassadors has included field trips to the Educycle Recycling Center (a materials recovery facility); Chicago's Green City Farmers' Market to learn about the role of composting on farms; a local landfill; Whole Foods to learn about packaging through a scavenger hunt; and the Working Bikes Cooperative to understand reuse strategies. " [5]
Book:EPA A Resource Guide of Solid Waste Educational Materials
The EPA put together a collection of resources containing information on a "variety of solid waste topics such as source reduction, recycling, reuse, household hazardous waste, and composting." They suggest BIll Nye the Science Guy: Garbage where "the participants explain how all living things produce waste, but that the amount and the type of waste that humans produce pose a threat to other organisms. Nye distinguishes between biodegradable and nonbiodegradable waste and advises viewers on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle before filling more landfill space" [6]

Jina Ayres

Importance of Education on Waste in Formal Education

  • "Education, including formal education, public awareness and training should be recognized as a process by which human beings and societies can reach their fullest potential. Education is critical for promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of the people to address environment and development issues. Therefore, educating institutions must play a key role in setting quality standards in education for sustainable development."[7]

Examples of School Waste Composition
thumb:left[8]

Impact of Electronic Media on Education

  • Electronic media can serve as a useful tool in catalyzing involvement in environmental issues. "Due to the overwhemling importance of television in much of the world, video products are extremely effective information tools." "Electronic media raise public awareness of conservation issues."[9]

Food Scrap Management

  • When considering food diversion in schools it is important to consider waste prevention & reducing food waste;example include "offer versus serve" and zero-waste lunches. It is also important to consider donations of surplus, recycling, and composting. [10]

Waste & K-5 Learners

  • Interview with Ivan Soto, an environmental technician, who works as an educator with K-12[11]

Q: What challenges have you face with teaching K-5 about waste; what causes some lessons or programs to be ineffective with children of this age?
A: I think any lesson for younger students have to be fun. There has to be a hands-on activity that ties into the lesson or the message. If you can make something fun then you make something memorable. Younger students, from my experience, are able to retain information if they can have fun while they are learning.

Q: What seems to be an effective way to teach about waste? What is the best teaching method for learners of this age?
A: Leading by example is the most effective. Almost every situation is an opportunity to teach about waste reduction. For example, a lunch break can be used to get kids to start thinking about small choices and how they affect the environment. I like to pack a healthy no-waste lunch during school field trips. Instead of taking my lunch break away from the school group - I sit in and eat alongside them. This allows them to see what I'm eating and they usually (always) ask what I packed. I go on to explain that the container is reusable so I don't have to throw anything in the trashcan. Everything in my lunch container is edible or reusable and so I don't have to contribute to the landfill during our lunch break together. That conversation can then include asking them how much trash do they think their classroom makes in one day, year, etc. It gets fun. Anything is a learning opportunity.

Q: Have you come across adults or teachers who also need this education and how important is the teacher's & staff's understanding of waste management to the education of students?
A: Yes, definitely. There is always at least one teacher in the group who says that they'd like to make an adjustment to their lifestyle. Some teachers in our district are actually very excited about a green lifestyle and so they promote it in their classroom year round.


Existing School Program Video examples:

  • EP Foster Elementary School Recycling Programs[12]
  • Green Grades: NYC Schools Recycle [13]

Annette Penny

Book:Let's Reduce and Recycle: Curriculum for Solid Waste Awareness

Curricula addressing many issues about waste, including "What is waste, how do we manage waste, how does waste affect our resources, how we can produce less waste, and what we can do about the waste we prodouce" can prove to be effective in creating a generation of environmentally conscious citizens. Americans produce more trash than any other country in the world, and introducing the "Garbage Gremlin" to kids at an early age with a solid waste curriculum helps them to realize that each of use shares responsibility for 'protecting and maintaining our planet, and that each of us can make a different through being aware of our lifestyle choices and behaviors.' The US produces 180 million tons of municipal solid waste per year and is growing. This is enough to fill a convoy of garbage trucks half way to the moon! [14]

Journal Article:Plastic Pollution: Can the world save the plastic waste problem?

-Plastic litter clogs sewer systems causing deadly floods, chokes animals and contaminated fish with toxic chemicals, and potentially endangers humans who eat those fish. -80% of marine garbage started on land and made its way to the ocean -Charles Moore on plastic waste in the ocean: “Most of this stuff never breaks down completely. It’s here forever, and it’s turning our oceans into giant garbage dumps.” -Marine plastic pollution can be suspended up to 100 ft below the surface, and 70% of ocean plastic sinks to the bottom. -The world uses 100 million tons of plastic each year, and plastic accounts for about 10% of the world’s waste. Less than 5% of our plastic is recycled. -It has been estimated that 1 billion tons of plastic (the equivalent weight of nearly 3000 Empire State buildings” have been created. Since it takes hundreds of years to decompose, most of it still exists. -Plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills, and 10-20 years when exposed to air. Plastic cups can take 50-80 years to decompose while plastic bottles can take up to 450 years to decompose in the oceans. -63 lbs of plastic packaging per person per year end of as landfills. -8% of world’s oil production is used to make plastic, most of which is for short-lived one-use-only products. [15]

thumb:left thumb:left center thumb:right center thumb:right

Source: Kiener, Robert. "Plastic Pollution: Can the World Solve the Plastic Waste Problem?" CQ Researcher. CQ Press, July 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.

Giusseppe Raymundo

Interview with childcare associate at local resort

Q: Do you feel that children know about recycling?

Answer: Based on my experiences I’ve seen the children I work with throw out everything from plastic bottles to plastic forks an knives.

Q: Where do you think waste goes after you throw it out?

Answer 2: Yes, The children respond to direction very well. We did a lesson on washing hands and now each child washed their hands without being told to.

Giusseppe Raymundo Peer Review Article: Social movements, field frames and industry emergence: a cultural–political perspective on USrecycling

This article examines how social movements contribute to institutional change and the creation of new industries. We build on current efforts to bridge institutional and social movement perspectives in sociology and develop the concept of field frame to study how industries are shaped by social structures of meanings and resources that underpin and stabilize practices and social organization. Drawing on the case of how non-profit recyclers and the recycling social movement enabled the rise of a for-profit recycling industry, we show that movements can help to transform extant socio-economic practices and enable new kinds of industry development by engaging in efforts that lead to the de-institutionalization of field frames. (Social movements, field frames and industry emergence: a cultural–political perspective on USrecycling) [16]

Giusseppe Raymundo Book: Recycling : How to Reuse Wastes in Home, Industry, and Society

This article depicts the fundamentals of reusing waste in the home, which is beneficial to the youth. This book depicts a various techniques in way in which you can reuse materials (Recycling, for the future: it's everybody's business) [17]


Research Topic #6: lesson plans/activities concerning where materials come from and ways to minimize waste

Jacquelynn Dufour Book:Project Learning Tree Activity Guide K-6

"Why Wooden Pencils" is an activity that teaches children about what different resources materials use as well as which resources are renewable and non renewable and which materials are reusable and recyclable. The activity involves group work, independent identification of which materials come which resources, and a class room discussion about which materials are reusable and which are recyclable [18]

Jacquelynn Dufour Peer Review:Significant Life Experiences Revisited: A Review of Research on Sources of Environmental Sensitivity

This article examines the necessity for creating environmental sensitivity in students. If a student has environmental sensitivity then they are more likely to take responsible environmental actions. Environmental sensitivity is most associated with personal interactions or experiences in the Natural world. Louise Chawla ran a series of tests with data suggesting that 91% of peoples attitudes towards nature is directly influenced from personal experiences they had with the Natural world as a child. Even furthermore, 77% of the people studied are committed to environmental protection because of their experiences with nature as a child. [19]

Plan Research

You will want research relating to: creating a waste plan; waste auditing; existing grants for waste or waste in grade schools (or maybe even environmental education in grade schools); etc. Please come up with more topics and add your research here with the format listed above (under (#Research).

What is in the waste?

On average 25% of lunch food is wasted [20]


Waste Education

Australian Waste Wise Schools Program is successful waste education program that has been ongoing since 1996. The program is cited to have been success because of the following factors [21] • The school administration are committed and supportive • The community is involved in the planning and implementation • Students are encouraged to take ownership of the project • The program is planned in committees or teams with audits, policies, targets, action plans and curriculum plans • Dynamic curriculum that changes with the current conditions • Good systems that are well maintained • the school community strives for change but understand change takes time • The project is continuously improving • At least some of the projects are enjoyable and there are times for celebration


Research topics: Where does waste go after the user throws it away? (Educational) Here in Arcata, our trash leaves our curb and goes to the Humboldt Waste Management Authority's Hawthourne Street Facility. It gets loaded onto trailers and in batches of 22 to 23 tons gets hauled to landfills in Anderson Ca, or White City OR. (Anderson is approx. 150 miles away, White City is approx. 190 miles away)


What happens if we don't recycle our trash? (Educational) Experts warn that by 2018 the UK will have run out of space to bury its waste. We will be plagued with toxic wastes that we cant get rid of or process inside of our bodies. Landfill sites are responsible for creating 700 million tons of CO2 into the air. Everyday resources that we take for granted will run out very quickly.


Interview: One student on campus is aware of her trash habits as she has seperate bins for Trash vs bottles vs other recycleables.She spends less than 10 mins a week making sure her trash gets to the correct bins.


Peer Review Journal: The Tulsane University Student Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers piloted a recycling program in the Fall of 2009. [22] They touched on The benifits of Recycling, figuring out what should be recycled Possible vendors for taking the recycling, A collection and storage system, proposed a budget, and choosing the correct bins.

Jeesum Lei Findings

Journal: A solid waste audit and directions for waste reduction at the University of British Columbia, Canada A novel design for a solid waste audit was developed and applied to the University of British Columbia, Canada, in 1998. This audit was designed to determine the characteristics of the residual solid waste generated by the campus and provide directions for waste reduction. The methodology was constructed to address complications in solid waste sampling, including spatial and temporal variation in waste, extrapolation from the study area, and study validation. Several options were proposed to address waste minimization goals. These included: enhancing the current recycling program, source reduction of plastic materials, and/or diverting organic material to composting. The audit methodology designed is most appropriate for facilities/regions that have a separate collection system for seasonal wastes and have a means for tracking user flow.[23]
Book: Power for Change: An Energy Curriculum for Grades K-12 In a world of rapidly-accelerating changes, from climate change to resource-driven social and economic change, it is critical we do everything within our power to minimize our energy and resource use to sustainable levels. Combining action with education, we’re working to provide students and teachers with the knowledge and tools necessary to prepare the next generation for the energy challenges they will face in our changing world. This new 220-page curriculum features: 18 interactive, inquiry-based lesson plans, more than 50 student hand-outs, extensive background information on lesson concepts for teachers, and access to material kits on loan from NorthWoods for lessons requiring special materials. [24]

Vic's Findings

Meta Research

References

  1. http://web.williams.edu/HistSci/curriculum/101/garbage.html
  2. http://www.cityfarmer.org/NairobiCompost.html
  3. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2095910
  4. http://books.google.com/books?id=i8F8o5QqtVsC&dq=recycling+education&source=gbs_navlinks_s&hl=en
  5. http://search.proquest.com/docview/236940547/fulltext/141B48671C756F21CA1/2?accountid=11532
  6. http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/websites/epagov/www.epa.gov/osw/resource.pdf
  7. I.G. Mason, A.K. Brooking, A. Oberender, J.M. Harford, P.G. Horsley, Implementation of a zero waste program at a university campus, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 38, Issue 4, July 2003, Pages 257-269
  8. http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/reducewaste/schools/Composition.htm
  9. Monroe, Martha C. "Using Mass Media." What Works: A Guide to Environmental Education and Communication Projects for Practitioners and Donors. Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada: New Society, 1999. N. pag. Print.
  10. http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Documents/Organics/44203018.pdf
  11. Soto, Ivan. Personal interview. 13 Nov. 2013.
  12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ_nGE5aJ88
  13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZwUOL8orpc
  14. http://books.google.com/books?id=yPPeL376t2AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=waste+curriculum&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4XGCUpO5EcmzigKNuoGoCg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=waste%20curriculum&f=false
  15. <http://0-library.cqpress.com.catalog.poudrelibraries.org/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqrglobal2010070000>
  16. http://ser.oxfordjournals.org/content/1/1/71.short
  17. http://books.google.com/books/about/Recycling.html?id=6HabQNMc2_wC
  18. Project Learning Tree Activity Guide K-6.1st edition.The American Forest Council.1992.pg89
  19. Significant Life Experiences Revisited: A Review of Research on Sources of Environmental Sensitivity.Journal of Environmental Education. Spring98, Vol. 29 Issue 3, p11.http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.humboldt.edu/ehost/detail?sid=3063585e-704e-48ee-a893-5c57754719c1%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=120&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=afh&AN=340880
  20. http://ezproxy.humboldt.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.humboldt.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=85014133&site=ehost-live
  21. http://ezproxy.humboldt.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.humboldt.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=48859660&site=ehost-live
  22. http://green.tulane.edu/PDFs/schoolrecycling.pdf
  23. http://wmr.sagepub.com/content/19/4/354.full.pdf+html
  24. http://www.northwoodscenter.org/wordpress/power-for-change-an-energy-curriculum-for-grades-k-12/
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