SCHOOL SITE PROJECT IDEAS

• Pick up and analyze trash. Where is the trash coming from? What trash can be recycled and what cannot? What is the most common trash item? What can be done to eliminate the source of this trash (i.e., if the majority of the trash is plastic straw wrappers, can we do a campaign to reduce juice box use and suggest using a thermos instead)?

• Organize a student litter patrol to make sure trash is kept in trashcans and not left on the ground, particularly after snacks and lunches. Make posters to remind all students to reduce litter.

• Start a recycling program for paper, cans, glass, etc. At the campaign start, check the amount of large trash bins filled each week by the school, and then create a measurable goal to monitor and reduce that amount each month. Students may separate, weigh, and recycle trash for cash, and generate money for school activities.

• Make posters on good water quality management tips and post them in classrooms and sites around the community. Create a way to measure the effectiveness of the posters.

• Work with school facility managers to remove concrete and add more trees/grass areas/a school garden to your campus to absorb water and prevent it from flowing into stormdrains.

• Organize a water conservation campaign to reduce the amount of water used at your school. At the beginning of the campaign, check the amount of water used by the school, and then create a measurable goal to monitor and reduce the amount each month.

• Reduce the water runoff from pavement by landscaping an area using native trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses that do not require a lot of water.

• Hard soil doesn’t absorb run-off. Improve soil quality at the school by using mulch or another alternative such as ground cover in key areas. Monitor the results of your work.

• Teach other students, teachers, administrators, parents, residents, and businesses about the school watershed. Design a “watershed tour” of the campus. This could include: what a watershed is, components of a watershed, where water is coming from, and where it is going, etc.

COMMUNITY PROJECT IDEAS

• If water quality problems are the result of off-campus practices, write a letter to the principal, mayor, and/or city representative to provide ideas about resolving the problem. Follow up with them to see what can be done to address the problem.

• Pick up and analyze trash. Where is the trash coming from? What trash can be recycled and what cannot? What is the most common trash item? What can be done to eliminate the source of this trash (i.e., if the majority of the trash is plastic bags, can we do a campaign to reduce plastic bag use and suggest using canvas bags instead)?

• Find out about a watershed project (e.g., citizen’s water quality monitoring project, stream, or beach clean-up) in the community. Join your family or class in supporting and volunteering for these events.

• Design and distribute flyers or brochures about the ways community members can help improve water quality. Create a way to measure the impact of flyers and brochures distributed.

• Adopt a stream, river, or local park. Clean up a portion and help maintain it. Figure out where the main sources of trash and pollution originate from and work to alleviate the problem.

• Stencil signs next to stormdrains warning people not to dump litter or other items into stormdrains (this will likely require permission by the local governing jurisdiction).