Jose Brizard, Julia Earl, Mary McCallum

GREEN AND HEALTHY KIDS

ECOPAULITANS

Toxicity and Waste Reduction Activities at Two St. Paul Public

Schools

Classroom Activities

•Decorate fabric shopping bags

•Make non-toxic cleaner

•Recycling

•Decrease pesticide use

•Low-waste lunches

School-wide Activities

Informational resource tables at school-wide events• Back to School nights• Dinners for new families• Other school events (science fairs, parent-teacher conferences)

Earth Day/Green Fair • Non-toxic cleaner, fabric shopping bags, recycling, etc. (same as

classrooms)• Composting• Rain barrels

Organization, Communication, Patience, Persistence & Boundaries

Undertaking a Successful Project:

Background and PrepCommunicate Early

•Decision makers who will influence project success• School officials (principals, custodial staff, teachers, etc.)• School orgs (PTA/PTO, etc.) and active parent volunteers

•Be persistent, polite and positive

•Identify benefits to participants/host orgs• Links with curriculum, promoting understanding, children’s health

Background and Prep Plan for the Upcoming Year

•Activities (classrooms, fairs)

•Purchasing equipment

•Freebees (flyers from PCA, county, Community POWER, MPCA Resource Center)

•Signing out materials from Community POWER/Richardson and Richter (e.g. Recycling spinning wheel)

•Networking with fellow grantees to identify resources

•Considering requirements for Reduce Recycling logo use/recognition of funding from Community POWER/your county

•Using evaluations/pledges and how to promote getting them filled in (incentives – prizes, recycled pencils, etc.)

Plan for generating ENTHUSIASM & AWARENESS

Background and Prep Materials Logistics

•WHO will obtain materials

•WHEN

•WHERE they will be stored

•HOW they will be transported to events

Implementation

•Communication between project organizers & implementers

•Recruit and maintain volunteer helpersStaff tables at fairs, lead classroom activities

•Focus on toxicity and waste reduction Community POWER funded projects can’t do energy efficiency, agricultural projects, etc.

Implementation

•Track spending, save receipts

•Request additional funding/donations from relevant groups

•Recruit unusual suspects to help with project implementation (e.g. language teachers)

•Outreach to similar programs (e.g. neighboring schools to participate in green fairs, etc.)

Hold on for the ride and have fun!!

Questions?