EDUCATION & AWARENESS
AWARENESS
We sponsor as well as participate in many activities, events and contests throughout the year. We hope that residents find these activities enjoyable as well as educational. It is our hope that participants learn the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling.
Our Awareness Booths are set up at School Expos’, Health Fairs and the County Fairs. Free program brochures, booklets, pencils, stickers, car litterbags, student activity books and promotional items are available at our booths. Educational presentations, activity sheets and coloring contests are just some of the ways our staff interacts with the visitors to our booth. Local businesses are able to partner with us and sponsor booth contests by donated activity supplies, gift cards, t-shirts and other prizes.
Outdoor Land Lab
A school field trip type of program sponsored each spring by the Jefferson County Soil & Water Office. Jefferson County fifth grade students from public, private and home school, teachers and parents, learn about the environment. Our site concentrates on Solid Waste, Litter and Waste and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle activities. Open to the Jefferson County Schools this four day program is held at the Fernwood State Park rain or shine. We participate as one of the seven different sites, each with a 20 to 25 minute presentation, along the two mile walking trail. Twenty-seven presentations are completed during the week with the EnviroScape Landfill Model used at our site to help students understand how landfills work and the importance of proper disposal. Our goal is to make students, teachers and parents more environmentally conscious citizens and involve 5th grade students with hands on projects pertaining to the environment.
Trashy Art Fashion Show
Each year students create outstanding art and fashion. These contests help the students realize that not everything needs to go into the trash and helps everyone to celebrate Earth Day.
Adopt-A-Roadway/Spot Program
The Adopt-A-Roadway program accommodates a wide array of volunteer interests and goals. Participants adopt public spaces and make a commitment twice a year to clean and beautify the area for one year. Volunteers are the “P” in Pride by planting flowers, graffiti removal, picking up litter, weeding, gardening and other forms of general cleanup. Volunteers do make a difference in their community. Interested in this program? Download the PDF form: Adopt-A-Spot.
Annual River Sweep Poster Contest & Cleanup
We participate in this poster contest sponsored by ORSANCO each winter the top winners used for posters and t-shirts for the next summers River Sweep Cleanup. The Annual Cleanup along the Ohio River is held on the third Saturday of every June (Visit ORSANCO for more information).
“Stock the Pantry Program”
Jefferson and Belmont Counties have taken America Recycles Day one step further. All our paper proceeds generated as well as some donated by others that are recycled at Valley Converting go to local Food Pantries to help out with purchasing food for the holidays. The activity runs from November 1st-15th, with public drop off sites at the Ft. Steuben Mall in Jefferson County.
The Great American Cleanup Campaign
This runs from March 1st – May 31st each year. Volunteers, groups, beautification committees, students, 4-H, Girl/Boy Scouts join in the nation’s largest organized cleanup, beautification and community volunteer improvement program. The volunteers know that they really make a difference, and the results are dramatic! When your area is clean of unsightly litter, residents have a sense of hometown PRIDE and accomplishment.
Event Tips:
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Pick a spot; visit the site to plan your event.
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Set a date and time and have a rain date planned.
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Recruit volunteers.
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Request trash bags from us.
Event Safety Tips:
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Wear gloves, thick-soled shoes, vest and gloves.
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Wear long pant and long-sleeved shirts.
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Wear sunscreen and/or bug repellent.
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Drink plenty of fluids.
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Don’t overstuff litter collection bags.
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NEVER pick up hypodermic needles or sharp objects.
Paper Recycling Tours
Tours are taken by school students, teachers and parents at the Valley Converting Paper Mill located in Toronto, Ohio. Mike Biasi, President and Rich Brandt, Purchasing Agent, educate students on how paper is recycled from the beginning. They start with 100% scrap paper and walk them through the manufacturing process showing them how the end product cardboard is made. The students learn how the paper is converted to different sizes and shipped to the end user who makes legal paper, paper hard back books, and desk calendars, just to name a few. The tour lasts approximately forty-five minutes, and any school that is interested in this educational tour can contact us to learn more.
Plant Pride - Not Litter
Activity takes place in April at the Ft. Steuben Mall. Children and parents participate by painting and decorating flower pots. After students have finished decorating their pots they also plant flowers and or vegetables to take home. All materials are donated by the Ft. Steuben Mall and local businesses. This activity teaches students community participation and promotes individual pride.
Youth Presentations
Our staff does environmental educational presentations reaching adult organizations; preschool to 12th grade students; teachers; parents; Girl/Boy Scouts and 4-H groups. Videos, worksheets, lesson plans and craft activities are completed during the presentations. Adults and youths learn how easy it is to do their part for the environment by “Going Green”, through recycling, cleaning up their community and beautification projects, just to name a few. Visit our Presentations page for more info!
Christmas Ornament Making
Activity takes place in December at the Fort Steuben Mall, the day Santa arrives. Children and parents participate by making a Christmas Ornament for their tree. Students can make more than one ornament if they want to or they can take it home to finish making their decoration. This activity teaches students you don't need to spend a lot of money on ornaments and how Christmas ornaments were made in past years. All materials are donated by the JB Green Team, Fort Steuben Mall, and local businesses.
If you want to join the fun or are part of a group looking for a creative reuse project to get started, please contact Alisha Teramana at (740) 296-5376 for Belmont County or Louise Holliday at (740) 266-6899 for Jefferson County.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Several members of our staff are available to speak at meetings for your community, municipality, township, business, school and other adult organizations to inform meeting attendees of the programs and assistance we can provide and answer questions.
Subjects that we can discuss include recycling programs for communities and businesses, how you can start recycling, conducting business waste audits, electronic recycling programs and management, household hazardous waste recycling and management, the Community and Comprehensive Grant Programs available, the EPA Waste Wise Program, Community Clean up Opportunities, Litter Free/ Special Events Recycling for fairs, festivals, sporting or music events and more.
For more information or to request a presenter, fill out the form below or
contact us at (740) 266-6899 (Jefferson County)
or (740) 296-5376 (Belmont County)
ACTIVITIES & TOOLS
We have many types of activities & lessons that can be used for the young and old. Listed below are just some of the materials we have available for you. For more ideas, curriculum, and information contact our Education Coordinator.
Coloring Pages
Celebrate Earth Day or Recycle with our mascots, Jeff & Bel, with these coloring pages that are fun for all ages!
JB Green Team Mascot mask coloring pages printed out on thicker stock paper and stapled to tongue depressors these Mascot coloring pages make great masks.
Preschool to 3rd grade: Earth Day Coloring Page
Preschool to 3rd grade: Recycling Coloring Sheet
Puzzles
Jeff and Bel want you to be more aware of your environment with their Crossword and Word Search Puzzles.
Preschool to 1st grade: Elementary Crossword Puzzle
4th to 8th grades: 4-8 Grade Crossword Puzzle
6th to 8th grades: 6-8 Grade Word Search
Recycling Quiz
Test your knowledge! Take the Waste Management Recycling Quiz before and after our presentation to see just how much you didn’t know. Part of the EnviroScape Landfill Model Curriculum.
6th – 8th grade students: EnviroScape Recycling Quiz
Paper Making/Recycling
You can do a paper recycling activity at home and see on a small scale how it is done at paper mills. Part of the Paper Making/Recycling Curriculum.
Grades 8th to adult: How To Make Paper
Green Cleaning
Keep your home clean and green while safely getting your kids to lend a hand! Check out our list of “green cleaning” ideas. From the Green Cleaning Curriculum.
High School students to adult: Green Cleaning Sheet
Plastics
It’s a plastic world! Ever wonder what those numbers mean on your plastic bottles & jugs? We’ve got the answers. Have fun creating silly shapes and sun catchers using our shrinkydinks directions.
From the Plastics Curriculum:
6th grade to adult: Plastics 1 thru 7
6th grade to adult: Shrinkydink Plastic
Litter Detective Activity
Have fun indoors or out! Search for items from our Litter Hunt List with this activity that is great for groups. From the Litter Detective Curriculum.
Kindergarten to 4th grade: Litter Hunt Instructions
Maze Activity Page - Can you find your way through?
6th – 12th grades: Maze
HELPFUL LINKS
Visit our Resources page for more information.