TO SCHEDULE A PRESENTATION:
Kayt Hester
Executive Assistant
Environmental Programming
201-324-6222 ext. 3239
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FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS:
Amanda J. Nesheiwat
Deputy Director of Sustainability
and Community Outreach
201-324-6222 Ext. 3210
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Help Your Students Become Better Stewards of our Environment
The Hudson County Improvement Authority’s 30 to 45 minute audience participation programs are available for Pre-K to Grade 12 in public, private, charter, and parochial schools throughout Hudson County. These programs provide an open forum to augment any environmental curriculum, recycling program, or local clean-up project, and give students an important opportunity to learn about topics like sustainability, recycling, composting and much more!
Programs are FREE!
School Presentations:
Clean Streets Equals Clean Waters - Litterbugs damage every community and whether they know it or not, they are directly responsible for polluting our waterways. Rain will wash all litter into our untreated storm drains that lead right into our natural waterways. This program stresses the importance of keeping litter off the streets and out of our water. We will discuss the damaging effects litter can have on wildlife and our shared habitats, and what we can do to prevent this type of pollution.
Grade Levels: All Grade Levels
Composting with Wiggle E. Worm - Composting organic waste into fresh soil with the help of our friend, Wiggle E. Worm, and his hungry family. Warning!! This is a hands-on experience!! Children can handle and observe redworms in our compost bin. They will hear about how worms digest organics and supplement the Earth so that trees, vegetables, and plants can grow. The worm’s biology and diet will be discussed as well as the beneficial effects they have on our environment. This program is our most popular, and over 100,000 children have learned about composting with worms since 1993.
Grade Levels: Kindergarten through 6th grade
Electronic Waste and the Rise of E-Cycling – Technological waste is growing at a rate of 3 to 4 times faster than any other form of solid waste in the country. The proper disposal of these electronic products is vital to the health of our environment. This program will raise awareness to the growing problem caused by obsolete technology and the effects it has on our habitat. Proper recycling methods will be discussed as well as ways to reduce the amount of E-waste that hits our landfills.
Grade Levels: All Grade Levels.
Environmental Shopping – The way that we shop has a major impact on our environment. Students and consumers must learn the importance of buying products that are both made from recycled materials and are recyclable. The amount of waste produced from product packaging is staggering, so let us teach some waste reduction techniques to ease the flow of packaging into our landfills. With a display of common everyday products, we will demonstrate how changing shopping habits can have an immediate and beneficial impact on the environment.
Grade Levels: Grade 6 - 12.
From the Curb to the Landfill: What Happens to Our Garbage? – Most people never consider where the garbage goes once it is picked up from their curb. This program instills the concepts of waste management, including recycling, source reduction, landfilling, hauling, incineration and hazardous waste as well as the conservation of natural resources.
Grade Levels: All Grade Levels
Landfills and the Environment – Landfills are the oldest and most common way to house our nation’s trash. But how many people know how they are built or how they affect our habitat? Find out by learning how modern landfills compare to earlier versions and what’s being done to curb the effects on our environment.
Grade Levels: All Grade Levels
Recycling 101! – Recycling technology changes at a fast pace. This means recycling laws and codes change quickly too. Stay updated on current recycling methods and instructions by booking a Recycling 101 primer. Learn what materials can be recycled in your community, why we recycle and the benefits of recycling. Find out how the recycling process works and what happens to all of the materials collected. Recycling our used products remains one of the most important individual ways to protect and conserve our environment. Make sure everyone stays up to date on how to be a master recycler!
Grade Levels: All Grade Levels
Additional Information & Services:
TerraCycle Partnership with HCIA! – We all want to recycle everything, but not everything can be recycled. That’s why we’ve partnered with TerraCycle to provide a FREE recycling program to help schools expand their efforts to recycle better. Schools can sign up with TerraCycle and start to recycle self care items such as toothpaste, deodorant, floss containers, and more! Then, when your box is full, print out a free label and send it to TerraCycle to generate points to raise funds for your charity or non-profit of choice! Details on this program can be found: https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/pages/schools
Annual Earth Day Poster Art Contest – Have your students create a poster that reflects the environmental theme of the HCIA’s Earth Day Celebration. All artworks will be entered into a countywide contest and the winning artwork will receive a prize and their artwork will be showcased during the Awards Ceremony at our Earth Day event every April. Schools will be informed of the deadline and winners. The winning artwork will be selected from the following grade levels: Kindergarten - Second Grade; Grades 3 – 5; and Grades 6 – 8. Details, including this year’s theme, will be announced in February 2024.
Clean Communities – The New Jersey Clean Communities Council is a 501(c)3 corporation formed to implement a program of public information and education that will change the attitude about littering and the irresponsible handling of solid waste. NJ Clean Communities supports the Hudson County Improvement Authority with awarding mini-grants and assistance for organizations and schools interested in organizing a clean-up.
Recycling – Recycling can be tricky, which is why we offer programs to teach students about what should be placed in the recycling bins. Sometimes, adults need help understanding recycling, too! HCIA offers free training sessions with staff to help them understand recycling and assist with the best way to set up or improve your recycling programs. We also offer posters and stickers for proper labeling of trash and recycling bins.
