Classroom Presentations
4R's Presentations
The Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division offers free classroom presentations on waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and rebuy, or green purchasing. During the presentation, children learn how to prepare their recycling bin and the importance of the 4R's. Each presentation is then concluded with a waste reduction activity. Presentations for summer camps and schools are also available. For more information, please contact Linnett Short at 273-6632.
Compost Presentations
The Compost Education Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County regularly visits local schools to teach about composting and help set-up compost systems. The goal of the program is to reduce the amount of compostable materials sent to the landfill by educating the public. Trained Master Composters and the Program Manager are available to give presentations for classrooms or schools on vermicomposting (worms), the various methods of outdoor composting, and group composting.
Topics generally covered in compost presentations include:
- What is compost?
- Why compost?
- What can you compost?
- How to compost.
Program instructors are flexible and enjoy creating a presentation that best meets the needs of the school or teacher. For example, a high school environmental class may want the students to learn more about compost science (physical conditions and biology) while a second grade studying the earthworm may want to focus more on vermicomposting. Compost educators will work with the instructor to plan each presentation and ensure that the teacher's goals are met. Presentations vary in length, depending on the amount of material to be covered and the teacher's requirements.
Master Composters are also available to help set-up and manage compost systems in classrooms or at schools. Some teachers compost food scraps that are produced in the classroom in worm bins, and also use these systems to teach the students about worms, other decomposers and the nutrient cycle. Some entire schools have also elected to set up outdoor compost systems to compost the food scraps generated on site. Again, Master Composters and the Program Manager can be flexible and will help determine what sort of compost system is best for each setting.
For additional composting information, fact sheets, or to learn about upcoming events, please visit the Compost Education Program website (site maintained by Tompkins County Cooperative Extension). To speak with the Program Manager or to arrange a school visit, please call the Rotline at Tompkins county Cooperative Extension at 272-2292 or use the e-Rotline service on the Compost Education Program website.
