2.3 Solid Waste Reduction

* Bridges STEM - Fall 2014

making roller coaster

making hoover craft

Spaghetti Tower

* Guilford Roars by Recycling More Campaign - Nov. 2014

This campaign was started to help our students take responsibility to recycle more for breakfast items and lunch items. Student monitors in all grade levels volunteered to help their classmates sort and keep track on charts if there grade had recycled more.

Script read by GES News morning announcements to introduce the campaign.

This chart was made for breakfast items in the pods. to improve recycling. The student monitors would mark on the chart if they did good in recycling or not.

These are lunchroom charts that the students marked on if the custodian took out more recycling than trash.

Students monitoring and marking on chart if the students recycled more than trash for breakfast items and lunchroom items.

Breakfast monitors in the grade level pods.

1st grade lunch monitors in the lunchroom.

1st Attempt for Sorting Station-To help our monitors not get splashed by food , a trial for sorting recycling and trash in the bins were made for the lunchroom. Students helped each other to learn the new sorting routine. The signs didn't make it too long with the way they were attached so a new sorting idea was needed.

2nd Attempt for Sorting Station - These signs for sorting recycling and trash to reduce waste are what our students use now. These music stands were reused from the band room.

* How to Reduce My Carbon Footprint Campaign - Jan. 2015 - Dec. 2014

Our Bridges Green Team students (15 students in gr. 3-5) searched for "Did You Know Facts About Waste " and "What Items Can Do If You Recycle Them". They made posters to show awareness of what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint for reduce, recycle and reuse.

Script Read on GES News morning announcements by a 5th grade student. A video was shown to explain what your carbon footprint is and how to reduce it.

* Reduce, Reuse, Recycle posters - December 2015

Our Bridges Green Team students (15 students in gr. 3-5) made reduce, reuse, recycle posters to share awareness tips for waste reduction.

Their posters was placed on the Green Team bulletin board for New Years Reflections to reduce, reuse and recycle.

* Reusing Breakfast Items - December 2015

Our Bridges Green Team students (17 students in gr. 3-5) made items from recycled breakfast items such as a cereal bowl and milk cartons. They made turtles with cereal bowls and birdhouse feeders with the milk cartons.

Students making milk carton birdhouse feeders.

Students making cereal bowl turtles.

*Recycling Monitors - January 2016

Students volunteer in most grades to be recycling monitors for breakfast and cafeteria. They are very helpful by telling their fellow classmates on where and what to recycle for the bins.

*Learning Composting movie - April 2016

Our Bridges Green Team students (15 students in gr. 3-5) learned about composting with Mrs. Lambert. They took some things from the lunchroom and home to put into the worm compost bin. It was set outside and the students were able to see the results of what happens during composting a month later.

MOV02202.m4v

MESA Storybook Shark Ride - Fall/Spring 2016

The STEM program (MESA- Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement) of Guilford Elementary School (10 students in gr. 4 and 5), created a shark ride based on the story Finding Nemo. They used their creative thinking and made a ride mostly of recycled materials and reuse of some items. They presented their work in a MESA competition.

The pictures, designs and descriptions on the Shark Ride taken from the poster board displayed at the MESA competition below.

MESA Competition - MESA students of GES explain their storybook ride to the judges.

* Planting Flowers in Plastic Bottles - May 2016

Bridges Green Team students ( 15 students in gr. 3-5) planted plants in plastic water bottles and 2- litter bottles and used them as planters for a Mother's Day gift.

*Reduce Waste Free Lunch Wednesday- Fall 2016

Some of our students take part in Waste Free Lunch Wednesday. This campaign was started in 2014. Students bring most things in reusable containers.

*Counting Markers to Upcycle to Crayola - Nov. 24, 2014 and Nov. 14, 2016

Students help count markers of any kind to upcycle to the Crayola Company. This is a continued service we have done since 2014. The Crayola Company uses these markers to turn them into fuel.