Tennessee Solid Waste Education Project

New Resources on Recycling and Vermicomposting

Waste Calculator from California Department of Conservation (DoC) -California Consumer Recycling Calculator; Bar and Restaurant CRV (California Refund Value) Calculator

Recycling Examples and Statistics from California DoC - Examples and statistics on the benefits of recycling, e.g., the number of recycled plastic bottles needed to make a t-shirt, the number of recycled aluminum cans needed to watch two and one-half hours of television, etc.

Recycling in Japan -This site explains what items the City of Yokohama will (and will not) pick-up as garbage and how residents should package items for pick-up. It provides a good example of using graphic design to aid awareness and provide for cross-culture, geographical differences.

Recycling in Germany - An overview of Germany’s recycling success and a "how-to" guide for new residents.

Big Business Vermicomposting - New Jersey-based TerraCycle is trying to eliminate the idea of waste by paying individuals and organizations to collect certain kinds of trash (e.g., cookie wrappers, plastic soda bottles, etc.) and ship it to them. They then recycle the trash into usable products. The company's flagship product, TerraCycle Plant Food™, is an all-natural, all-organic, "goof-proof" liquid plant food made from waste (worm poop) and packaged in waste (reused soda bottles).

Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, NC State University - Rhonda Sherman, an Extension Solid Waste Specialist, has collected a wealth of information on composting and vermicomposting, including training sites. Her publications page includes (among others articles) a vermicomposting set-up and troubleshooting guide called Worms Can Recycle Your Garbage, and Worm Away Your Cafeteria Food Scraps, a guide to classroom vermicomposting.

City Farmer Comics - Worm composting and backyard composting explained in comic-book form.

BioCycle Magazine, November 2000 - An article on commercial vermicomposting and large-scale factory vermicomposting.

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TNSWEP Services:

In-service Workshops for K-12 teachers and pre-service teachers provide opportunities to participate in hands-on activities that work in the classroom. TNSWEP lesson plans and activities are correlated with Tennessee Learning Expectations.

Curriculum workshops are designed for educators in the non-formal sector. Workshops include highly interactive sessions and the latest information about solid waste management.

Classroom presentations are for K-12 students in public or private schools.

Assistance in planning environmental education events, such as an Earth Day Celebration or an EnvironMental Fair, is available from TNSWEP consultants.