Educating students about the environment and the benefits of recycling is an important priority for Waste Management of Utah. Our recycling specialists visit schools and educate students about the recycling process and benefits, what can be recycled and what is unacceptable, how recycling helps our environment, and the impact that each student can make by being a conscientious recycler. Presentations are usually made at school assemblies at the request of the school.

We also introduce schools to Waste Management’s educational website, www.thinkgreen.com. This website is interactive, fun, and an extremely valuable tool in teaching and learning about waste and recycling. It covers many topics, including recycling, waste to energy, renewable energy, landfill gas as a renewable energy source, converting solid waste to clean renewable electricity, and land reuse projects when landfills are closed. Also on the website under Classroom Tools is an abundance of Teacher and Student Resources.

Educational Resources

Protecting the environment is important to us and understanding environmental aspects surrounding our business is crucial to the communities around our facilities. The following materials can be used as class resources for teachers. We hope you will find this information and these website links useful resources about the environmental aspects of the waste services provided by Waste Management. Please feel free to download or print any of this information.

Documents

These documents provide information on some of the environmental areas that our communities frequently learn about. NOTE: These documents are in PDF format, and Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view it. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it here.

 
• Science of Managing Waste Stream - New!
• Follow the Waste Stream - New!
• Anatomy of a Landfill - Spanish - New!
• Anatomy of a Landfill
• Bioremediation
• Bioreactor Landfill Brochure
• Environmental Review
• Gas Extraction Well
• Gas Probe
• Groundwater Well
• Landfill Gas to Energy
• Leachate Collection System
• PCB Disposal
• Recycle America Alliance
• Transportation Services
• WasteByRail
• Waste-to-Energy

Websites

Take a look at the links below for some interesting tools to help all ages understand the importance of recycling, waste management and environmental stewardship!

For Kids:

• The Imagination Factory – Shows visitors how to make art using materials
• most people throw away. Some of the activities include drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, papier-mâché, marbling and crafts. The "Trash Matcher" helps visitors find appropriate art activities for the solid waste they have available.
• Where does all the trash go?
• EPA's Student Center
• The Imagination Factory

For Teachers:

• EPA's Teaching Center

For Researchers:

• EPA's Researchers and Scientist Center

Additional Recycling Sites:

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• National Recycling Coalition
• SWANA
• Plasticsresource.com
• Plastics.org
• National Parks and Conservation Association
• National PET Plastic Association (NAPCOR)
• Earth911.org for local environmental information

Books

Want to know more about recycling or the environment? The following books are filled with facts and exciting projects. Check your local library to find it and the other books listed below:

• TITLE: Let’s Talk Trash: The Kids’ Book About Recycling
  AUTHOR: David, Fassler & Kelly McQueen
  INTEREST AGE LEVEL: Preschool - 12 years
  
  Do you worry about oil spills, rain forests, pollution and how our earth can stay green? This book tells about the problems of solid waste disposal so you can understand it. Let’s Talk Trash tells you about major environmental issues facing the world today. Written with the help of children between 5 and 12 years of age, Let’s Talk Trash shares their thoughts, questions, and drawings and encourages more discussion. "Talking Trash" has never been so much fun!

Other Titles of Interest:

Earth-Friendly Toys: How to Make Fabulous Toys & Games from Reusable Objects
by George Pfiffner
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 

Fifty Simple Things Kids Can Do to Recycle
by Earthworks Group Staff
Publisher: Earth Works 

Follow That Trash: All About Recycling
by Francis Jacobs
Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group 

Garbage & Recycling
by Rosie Harlow
Publisher: Larousse Kingfisher Chambers, Inc. 

Gifts to Make for Your Favorite Grownup
by Kathy Ross
Publisher: Millbrook Press, Inc. 

Here Comes the Recycling Truck
by Judith Mathew
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co. 

Learn to Recycle
by Annalisa Suid
Publisher: Monday Morning Books, Inc. 

Recyclables Fun: Creative Craft Ideas
by Diane Cherkerzian
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press 

Recycle That!
by Fay Robinson
Publisher: Children’s Press 

Where Does Garbage Go?
by Isaac Asimov
Publisher: Gareth Stevens, Inc. 

Where Does All the Garbage Go!
by Melvin Berger (mini books)
Publisher: Newbridge Communications, Inc.