Franklin County Litter Education Project 2013

Bluegrass Greensource THE source for all things green in Central Kentucky. Since 2001, we have provided outreach to schools, community groups, businesses, local governments, and citizens throughout Central Kentucky. Our Motto: You CAN make a difference! Small changes in your everyday life can make a positive impact in your community and environment.

Litter Education Project Program offered to all public and private schools throughout county GOAL - Reach EVERY 4 th grader in the county GOAL- teach how litter affects our LOCAL environment and how they can help PROCESS - Conduct one classroom activity PROCESS - Conduct one project for each classroom

Classroom Education Classroom Activity – Reach each 4 th grade student – Introduce concept of litter and pollution – understand the larger implication of litter within their community Culminating project – Facilitate understanding of THEIR impact/role in litter abatement

The EnviroScape Table-top model Introduces watersheds and point/nonpoint source pollution. Aids in understanding of how pollutants move through the watershed when it rains

The EnviroScape Observe how activities (litter!) in the watershed impact water quality Students brainstorm best management practices to improve water quality

“The Enviroscape is a very effective tool to show students how everyone in a community, including their own families, impacts water quality. The ‘ews’ and ‘yucks’ are remembered and revisited throughout the remainder of the school year.” –4 th grade teacher

Litter and Watershed Mapping Students draw their own aerial view of the school, marking all landmarks Students categorize the litter (paper, plastic, candy wrappers, cigarette butts, etc) by color, and mark the litter on the map Students also find and mark stormdrains Map can be used to see what and where litter is found on school grounds, AND how stormwater flows around the grounds and how that impacts the watershed.

Students clean off a stormdrain Students mark a stormdrain and surrounding litter on their litter maps

“Because the lessons on watersheds included real-world, hands-on activities such as mapping the surfaces of our school’s campus, terms including pervious and impervious are now part of my students’ vocabularies- without any vocabulary cards or crossword puzzles needed!” --4 th grade teacher

Litter Art Contest Worked with art teachers at each school to conduct a Litter Art Contest where students designed a “Litter Free Zone” sign Open to the entire city and county, and for all grades and ages. Received hundreds of entries -- Bluegrass Greensouce staff narrowed it down to four The four entries were posted on Greensource social media and were voted on for the month of December. The winning entry being made into a metal sign that will be placed at every school in Frankfort and Franklin County.

Litter Free Zone Guidelines Objective: Promote awareness of littering and give students a way to keep their school grounds cleaner Theme: making school grounds a litter free zone, and include a slogan Eligibility: any k-12 student enrolled in any Franklin County school – public or private

Litter Free Zone Guidelines Awards – Narrowed down by Bluegrass Greensource staff, and then voted on by social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) – First place turned into a metal sign to be distributed to each school throughout the county

Litter Free Zone Guidelines Rules – 8 ½ x 11 paper – All artwork must be original, no copy righted images – Artwork must be done in color crayons, acrylic, watercolor, oil, pens, pencils