SUSTAIN DCSD
MARCH 2019
Call for nominations - Eco-Awards 2019!
School Recycle Update - no more fees from WM!
Earlier this year we issued a call to schools regarding fees for improper recycling. The Office of Sustainability has worked with Waste Management to reverse all fees and ensure that fees will not be charged going forward. However, please remember the importance of recycling properly as improper recycling can contaminate the entire recycling load. Not sure what to recycle? Use this as a good rule of thumb with school recycling:
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Clean empty plastic and glass bottles
Anything contaminated with food waste, plastic bags, chip bags are not recyclable. Please remember that plastic bags are not allowed in our WM single stream recycling. If you choose to recycle plastic bags, please have a separate designated container for plastic bags and plastic film.
You are invited! 2019 EARTH DAY EXTRAVAGANZA
Join us for a fun filled evening celebrating sustainability in DCSD.
- Participate in interactive activities - come drive remote cars through a maze to see the impacts of off-road vehicles, plant a seed, upcycle an old item into something new and more!
- Tour the MVHS hydroponic greenhouse Freight Farm
- Visit the MVHS EV Charging station
- Hear our Keynote Speaker, Delia Malone, from the Sierra Club discuss wolf re-introduction in Colorado
- Celebrate student and school successes with Eco-Award winners and our Up-Cycle Challenge final contest
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2019, 04:30 PM
Mountain Vista High School, Mountain Vista Ridge, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Got textiles? Looking for a way to support your sustainability program? Add USAgain to your school!
The DCSD Office of Sustainability and DCSD Strategic Sourcing are pleased to announce a new partnership with USAgain Textile Recycling for clothing donations. With this new partnership, USAgain is now the only district approved textile recycling. If there is a different textile recycle bin on school property, USAgain would happily remove it and replace it with the DCSD contracted bin.
According to the EPA, a staggering 85% of all discarded textiles – 13 million tons – are sent to U.S. landfills every year. USAgain, a green for-profit enterprise, works to reduce this textile waste by providing thousands of convenient locations across the US where you can recycle textiles any time of the day, any day of the year. By putting them back in the use-cycle we conserve precious natural resources, prevent greenhouse gas emissions and save landfill space. What's more, the clothes are given a second life at affordable prices for people who can't afford brand new clothes. Textile recycling: It's a win-win-win proposition.
If you are interested hosting a drop box, replacing your textile bin at your school or have other questions please contact Beth Church at bachurch@dcsdk12.org .
Looking for ways to reduce your school's waste? Composting may be an option for you!
BENEFITS OF COMPOST IN YOUR SCHOOL:
- Reduces waste from your cafeteria
- Improves your garden soil
- Keeps food out of the landfill
- Increases soil aeration
- Saves money
- Creates a great learning experience for kids
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH A COMPOST PROGRAM IN YOUR SCHOOL:
- Create a team to lead the initiative and teach the school community
- Decide on what compost bin would work for your school
- Determine the best location for the bin
- Create a long term implementation plan
- Learn about items that are beneficial for your school compost
- START COMPOSTING
If you would like to learn more about how to fit a composting program into your school please contact Beth Church bachurch@dcsdk12.org.
DCSD OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability Coordinator
Heather Berry
Sustainability Learning Specialist
Email: sustainability@dcsdk12.org
Website: dcsdk12.org/sustainability
Location: 2806 U.S. 85, Castle Rock, CO, USA
Phone: 303-387-0451
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustain.dcsd