Since school waste is up to 80% recyclable, schools make a huge impact when they recycle. Recycling is also cheaper than trash disposal, so it helps save the environment AND your budget! Now you have every reason to recycle at school.
Download our School Recycling Assistance flyer or recycling pamplet, Go Green and Save, and check out the keterangan below.
Also check out our new Teacher Resources page! It’s full of keterangan and activities for our wonderful local teachers.
What assistance is available for schools in the unincorporated area?
At no cost to you (it’s free!), our County staff can help update your school’s recycling program. From the infrastructure to the administration to educating the students, we’ll guide you along, step by step. Other ways in which we can help include:
Supplying recycling containers and outreach materials to classrooms, labs, and offices
Performing waste audits
Determining your waste costs and identifing potential savings
Creating a school or district recycling plan
Educating faculty, staff, and administration about the benefits of recycling
Meeting with PTA and School Board Members
Providing curriculum-fulfilling education for students through Explore Ecology and the Environmental Education Box
Following up to make sure the program is working
Answering your questions
What if my school is located in a city?
Sometimes it’s confusing to figure out if your school is in the unincorporated part of the county or within a city’s jurisdiction. Don’t worry, just email us or call (805) 882-3618 to clear things up. Some local cities, such as the City of Santa Barbara and the City of Lompoc, also provide school recycling programs. Click here for a listing of the City Recycling Contacts.
What is a waste audit?
A waste audit identifies strategies to reduce your waste, increase recycling, and save money. County staff can examine what types of materials are being thrown away and identify those that can be recycled. A full audit requires a campus tour and dumpster dive, but a quick version can be done with your waste collection records. Input from custodial and kitchen staff is also helpful.
What are my school’s waste disposal costs?
A school’s waste disposal costs are determined by how many containers it has and how frequently the containers are collected. Often these costs are paid by the school district and never seen by the school itself. Our County staff can contact your waste hauler and identify these costs for you. You can also access your community’s trash rates by visiting the Resource Recovery & Waste Management Division website.
How much can I save by recycling?
In the County’s unincorporated area, recycling is on average 36% cheaper than trash collection. Local cities also offer pricing incentives to encourage recycling.
What is a school or district-wide recycling plan?
The plan includes a description of all the actions the County and each individual school or district will perform to achieve a successful recycling program. These actions can include changing the waste collection infrastructure, rearranging the placement of recycling containers, education efforts, and tackling problem waste streams. The plan is tailored to each school’s needs and is based upon the types of waste generated.
What education do you provide for students?
For many years, the County has partnered with the local non-profit agency, Explore Ecology, to provide hands-on education about the benefits of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. Explore Ecology offers in-class lessons and field trips, all of which are tailored to meet California’s academic curriculum standards. It also operates a great reuse store, Art from Scrap, located in downtown Santa Barbara.