Conserve Recycling

History - This project began in September 2007 and is currently ongoing.  Our project plan began with the recruitment of students into the science club to start the year and then the student body takes over after the first month. Science club students are to daily collect plastic and aluminum recycling from lunches to place in bins outside.  Originally, we had collected and transported all aluminum and plastic to the local recycling center.  Last year, Horry County Solid Waste Authority gave us permission to convert our cardboard dumpster into a comingle container relieving us of the responsibility of taking it to another location.  Students are also responsible for collecting all paper from classroom recycling bins. Phonebooks are collected at our Earth Day celebration each year.  Throughout the school, there are collection locations for cell phones, batteries, and ink cartridges. The past 6 consecutive years we have won “Outstanding School Recycling Program” from HCSW. 

Plastic/Aluminum Recycling- Science club has purchased three large trash cans and cut the tops for deposits slots.  Collect plastic and aluminum is put in our large cardboard dumpster where last year we were given permission to comingle. Prior to this arrangement, we were transporting bags over to our local recycling center. We also have recycling containers in each teacher workroom for staff recycling and when full they are brought outside by our janitorial staff.

Paper Recycling We use the blue bins which are located in every classroom to collect daily paper waste and then they are transferred into large green rolling bins (both which are provided by Horry County Solid Waste) and left outside in the loading dock to be picked up by HCSW on Fridays.

Cell Phones There are three drop off locations which are located at the top of our three halls and are then sent to The Wireless Alliance in postage paid boxes (free program!) (Contact info- Andy Bates http://www.thewirelessalliance.com/request.aspx )

Cardboard –Cardboard is broken down and then we use the large dumpster provided by Horry County Solid Waste

Batteries- We have one collection station and they are brought to our local recycling center provided by Horry County Solid Waste.

Phone books-They are collected on our Earth Day celebration each year and HCSW brings a U-Haul to the celebration to collect and remove books from our campus.

Ink Cartridge- Cartridges that are generated by copy machines and from teacher printers are sent to Cartridge World who picks them up and we are sent a small sum for participating. ( www.cartridgeworldusa.com (843) 839-3455 located at 391 Seaboard St, Myrtle Beach, SC.) 

Timeline

Our project plan begins with recruitment of students into the science club

August –Met with Science club sponsors and organized schedule for students for the year. 

September- Signed up science club students to schedule created in August, and laminated hall passes were made for student to recycle paper prior to the start of the school day.

October - Ongoing maintenance of recycling containers and monitoring student participation, reminding student scheduled, and present school wide Power Point’s with videos on what everyone can do to make a difference and our school conservation culture.

November- Ongoing maintenance of recycling containers and monitoring student participation and reminding student scheduled.

December - Ongoing maintenance of recycling containers and monitoring student participation and reminding student scheduled.

January - Ongoing maintenance of recycling containers and monitoring student participation and reminding student scheduled. Project posted on web site. Meet with mentor.

February - Ongoing maintenance of recycling containers and monitoring student participation and reminding student scheduled.

March- Ongoing maintenance of recycling containers and monitoring student participation and reminding student scheduled.

April- Ongoing maintenance of recycling containers and monitoring student participation and reminding student scheduled.  Meet with Mentor.

May- Ongoing maintenance of recycling containers and monitoring student participation and reminding student scheduled and then cleaning and storing recycling bins for the summer.

Educational Components

Educational components began with a school-wide conservation week during advisory classes educating the entire school on what can and cannot be recycled in our building.  This educational week also incorporated all our other conservation projects that our school is involved in.  We also reviewed with science club what can and cannot be recycled in the lunchroom when we discuss our composting lesson.

Action Components

All science club members’ responsibilities include being an active member of our conservation projects.  Science club students that are assigned weekly duties throughout the year for composting also incorporate the recycling of all plastic generated in the lunchroom.   We also recycle all paper in the building and this is where we get any student in the building who wants to volunteer for Thursday paper pick-up in all the classroom, administrative offices, and workrooms.  Students are also responsible for returning the large rolling bins to each hall location. We have three locations in the building where cell phones are collected and when our boxes get full they are sent to The Wireless Alliance.  This company has provided all material for this recycling program. (Contact info; Andy Bates at The Wireless Alliance http://www.thewirelessalliance.com/request.aspx). Students in science club also participate in our Earth Day celebration and assist in the collection of phone books