Education

EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH

The mobile SCRRRA Recycling Education Class provides learning experiences about solid waste, recycling, composting, marine debris, and household hazardous waste.

Our educational focus integrates the subject matter into the broader environmental and science framework. Our flexible program has several customized modules that engage the attendees depending on their age and class size. We provide a small gift to each person for attending one of our sessions, and all of our education programs are FREE!

Recycling

A variety of programs and activities are provided about recycling. Presentations on the history to current day practices and how recycling and refuse management has evolved. Activities include a redesigned Jeopardy Game for Middle School age groups to a “Trash Relay” for the younger participants.

Trash Relay: Here 2 or more teams are created and provided an assemblage of items both recyclable and non-recyclable. The teams must make disposal decisions on the fly. At the conclusion each group’s decisions are assessed and discussed.

Jeopardy Game: This game follows the format of its famous ____ but with the categories changed to topics in the Waste Field – Recycling, Composting, Household Hazardous Waste, Waste Reduction, Marine Debris, etc.

Papermaking: The Authority provides an activity for schools, scouts and other groups where old pieces of various types of paper are pulped, screened, and made into new sheets of paper. The papermaking program is hands on, with participants taking home their newly created paper project.

Backyard Composting

The Authority provides information on the biology of Backyard Composting, including the equipment needed, how the process works, assembling and locating a compost unit, and commonly encountered problems. For our civic groups we bring a composter into the presentation, assemble, and launch the project with food scraps and a mixing agent (brown mulch). In some instances we are able to donate a Backyard Composter to the school or other entities.

Marine Debris

As a coastal state, Connecticut has its share of debris affecting our marine and riverine waters. Here the Authority provides and outline of the constituents of marine debris, how they cause specific problems and how alternatives for their proper management. A hands-on active presentation is provided where students recreate a debris situation and determine the probable effects on marine wildlife.

Food Waste Reduction in Schools

SCRRRA has partnered with the Center for Eco-Technology (CET) to educate schools on methods and strategies to reduce food waste in school cafeterias. The program will be offered from October 2021 through October 2022. Any interested parties should contact the SCRRRA office to learn more.

Presentations

SCRRRA offers presentations on a variety of Solid Waste topics including The State of Solid Waste in CT, How to Recycle, The impact of Plastics, Food Waste Composting among others. SCRRRA can also tailor a presentation to a specific interest.