Small Planet School Program

Learning About the Three R's

They may be first graders or graduate students - but in the "Small Planet" School Education Program
everyone learns about waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. The District's Public Education coordinators visit classrooms, present assemblies, host field trips to on-site recycling facilities and the
landfill, provide teacher workshops, and maintain a resource library for teachers. They also offer
technical assistance for waste reduction, recycling, gardening and composting programs in the schools.

By June 1999, the School Education Program had reached almost 9,000 students in two years. Of that
number, two-thirds learned about waste management at school presentations and one-third visited the District for a tour of the facilities. This program is offered free of charge to all schools, colleges and youth programs in the District.

Environmental Education Grants

A grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency received by the District's School Education Program was used to develop and fund teacher workshops and other school program features. A grant from the California Department of Conservation funded plastic lumber benches for the garden, recycling bins for the schools, and school education materials.

School Demonstration Garden

In 1997, the "Small Planet" Garden was planted adjacent to the administration building parking lot. It features a compost demonstration area, outdoor classroom with picnic seating, green house, native plant area and butterfly garden, pond, organic vegetable garden, and agricultural display.

The "Small Planet" garden gives educators ideas on how to install outdoor learning areas made from recycled and salvaged materials.

During field trips to the District facilities, students enjoy a "zero-waste" lunch in the garden and learn about worm composting and organic gardening.

Download School Tour and Visits Registration Form