Resources for Schools

StopWaste offers teaching and learning opportunities for schools that are rooted by the 4Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle and rot (composting). We offer a comprehensive approach, including educational programs, teacher training and technical support for school districts, with the following three goals in mind:
- Students are empowered to engage in 4Rs behaviors.
- Students practice 4Rs behaviors in school.
- Students apply 4Rs behaviors in everyday life.
Schools programs seek to empower students by increasing their knowledge and engaging students in active learning experiences. Students learn where their waste goes and teaches multiple individual waste reduction strategies. Making the connection between individual behaviors and environmental impact is an essential underpinning of environmental education. We seek to motivate students by providing a positive learning experience that gives students an opportunity to engage in 4Rs behaviors such as recycling at their school.
We are committed to delivering programs based on the best practices in environmental education that provide connections to the Common Core, Next Generation Science, and California State Standards.
The best practices in environmental education are based on work by the North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE) in their Guidelines for Excellence, the Bay Area EE Evaluation Collaborative, and education theory.
Videos
- StopWaste Schools Team YouTube Channel
- StopWaste Agency YouTube Channel
- Virtual Transfer Station Field Trips
Stop 1: Join the 4R’s Action League Adventures
Stop 2: What is a Transfer Station and Where Does Our Garbage Go?
- School Sorting Videos
- School Cafeteria Behavior
- Green Team
- Food Share Table Videos
- 4Rs Action Heroes
- Virtual Earth Day 2020
- Virtual Earth Day 2021
- We are the (Re)Generation/May the 4Rs Be With You
- Action Project Solution Sessions 2021
General Waste Education Videos
- Doing the 4Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot
- Oil to Plastic
- Do the Rot Thing
- Compost Pile Time Lapse
- Wiggle E Worm Adventures
- No Sew Reusable T-Shirt Bag
- Sheet Mulch Student Action Projects
- Bay-Friendly Schoolyard’s Sausal Creek Nature Area
- We are the (Re)Generation
Curriculum & Activities
- Sorting Saves! Activity Guide
- Doing the 4Rs Curriculum
- Amazing Garbologist Adventure Journal (English)
- Amazing Garbologist Adventure Journal (Spanish)
- Amazing Garbologist Adventure Journal (Chinese)
- StopWaste/Earth Team Comic
- Wiggle E Worm Comic Book
- 4Rs Pictographs
- K-3rd Grade Garbologist Journal: A Reading Buddy Activity
- KidScoop News Earth Tips
- Kid Scoop Meet the League of Action Heroes
- Food Waste Prevention with Super Reducer
- We are the (Re)Generation Journal 1: What are the 4Rs?
- We are the (Re)Generation Journal 2: What are YOUR 4Rs?
- We are the (Re)Generation Journal 3: I am Part of the (Re)Generation
Guides & How-To’s
- StopWaste Topic Briefs
- Cafeteria Sorting
- Food Share & Donation
- Locker Leftover Guide
Environmental Education
- School Infrastructure Project Research Summary (2002)
- The Impact of Environmentally-Related Education on Academic Achievement – September 2006
- Environmental Education Leadership Action Project – June 2004
- North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
- Community Resources for Science (CRS)
- California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC)
StopWaste Program Flyers
Community Inspiration
- Food Scrap Murals
- Cabrillo Elementary Case Study
- Video: Cool School: Fremont’s Cabrillo Elementary
- Video: Community Conversations – Food Share Program Update 12-18-18
- Video: Save the Earth by San Leandro High School’s Eco Club
- Video: Rachel Lerman – StopWaste Virtual Earth Day Presentation
- Video: How to Stop Food Waste (Food Rescuers at John Green Elementary, Dublin)
- Joaquin Miller Elementary Students Lead Charge to Prevent Wasted Food
- Cal Athletics Partnership
- Video: Cal Athletic Bears demonstrate commi8tment to sustainability in winning 2018-19 PAC-12 Zero Waste
- Video: Cal’s 2019 Pac-12 Zero Waste Bowl Competition
- Memorial Tabernacle Church
- Bay-Friendly Schoolyard opens at Sequoia Elementary in Oakland
- 4Rs Student Action Project wins the Next Generation Recycler Award
E-News Archive
- Thursday, April 20, 2023
- Friday, March 24, 2023
- Wednesday, February 22, 2023
- Thursday, September 21, 2022
- Monday, August 1, 2022
- Monday, May 23, 2022
- Monday, April 18, 2022
- Friday, April 15, 2022
- Friday, April 8, 2022
- Wednesday, March 23, 2022
- Wednesday, December 8, 2021
- Friday, November 5, 2021
- Tuesday, October 26, 2021
- Tuesday, October 12, 2021
- Friday, September 24, 2021
- Friday, September 10, 2021
- Wednesday, August 25, 2021
- Wednesday, August 4, 2021
- Friday, July 23, 2021
- Wednesday, May 26, 2021
- Tuesday, May 18, 2021
- Wednesday, May 5, 2021
- Friday, April 23, 2021
- Thursday, April 22, 2021
- Wednesday, April 21, 2021
- Tuesday, April 20, 2021
- Monday, April 19, 2021
- Wednesday, April 14, 2021
- Friday, April 9, 2021
- Friday, April 2, 2021
- Friday, March 19, 2021
- Wednesday, March 10, 2021
- Tuesday, March 2, 2021
- Monday, February 8, 2021
- Friday, February 5, 2021
- Friday, January 15, 2021
- Friday, December 11, 2020
- Monday, November 23, 2020
- Thursday, November 12, 2020
- Friday, October 30, 2020
- Friday, October 16, 2020
- Thursday, September 24, 2020
- Friday, September 18, 2020
- Monday, August 3, 2020
- Monday, July 27, 2020
- Friday, July 10, 2020
- Thursday, June 4, 2020
- Friday, May 29, 2020
- Friday, May 15, 2020
- Tuesday, April 21, 2020
- Wednesday, April 15, 2020
- Thursday, April 9, 2020
- Friday, April 3, 2020
- Monday, February 10, 2020
- Friday, November 22, 2019
- Friday, August 23, 2019
- Thursday, April 11, 2019
- Wednesday, April 3, 2019
- Friday, February 22, 2019
- Friday, January 18, 2019
Questions? Email schools@stopwaste.org.