Chapter Projects & Activities for a Better Future Levi Rash and Rachel Remund National Executive Council

Why is this important? The environment affects our way of life -energy sources -agricultural aspects -atmosphere and air It impacts our homes, schools, and communities

How can FCCLA help? Gear national program projects towards environmental issues -Community Service -Power of One -STAR Events Design speeches and presentations for the school and community

Project Ideas Set-up school recycling scheme Try setting up an educational campaign in your school about recycling Study traffic around your school, assess how students travel each day, create a campaign for more effective transportation -“FCCLA Rides Day”- chapter members ride bikes to school -public transportation and bus routes -car-pooling

Project Ideas Cont’d Educate everyone on how to save energy around school and the renewable options available Form an eco-school with ideas from

Eco-School 1 Create a school-wide project involving all resources and departments Focus on areas such as waste, water, and energy A school garden growing organic vegetables - these could even be used in your FACS lessons A school composting site that could be used to help your school garden flourish

Eco-School 2 A wildlife area in your school grounds could be started including a pond and a variety of vegetation to encourage a wide diversity of species A sculpture made of old packaging and products could be made Water from your school roof could be collected and used to water your school garden

Eco-School 3 Recycling facilities for paper and cans should be available to all students and staff A school energy survey could be carried out. This could then be followed by some key implementations such as energy efficient light bulbs and signs educating people to switch lights off An Environment Committee could be set up in your FCCLA chapter to help implement ideas

Involve Everyone! FCCLA can work with different groups and organizations in the school and community The whole school will benefit from the environmental education and may be able to use some of the key ideas generated in their work. Various departments can get involved, for example the art department can design information posters and the science department can use statistics generated in class.

Community Impact The local community should be notified through word of mouth or newsletters about the success of the environmental projects. This will aim to inspire local people to contribute to helping improve the environment. Other schools in the area should also be informed of such environmental projects, so they too can implement some of these ideas.

Resources U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Campaign Earth Keep America Beautiful

5 Reasons to Recycle 1. Recycling conserves our valuable natural resources. 2. Recycling saves energy. 3. Recycling saves clean air and clean water. 4. Recycling saves landfill space. 5. Recycling can save money and create jobs.

Did you know…? Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy and 7,000 gallons of water! Americans use more than 67 million tons of paper per year, or about 580 pounds per person. Paper products make up the largest part (approximately 40 percent) of our trash.

Did you know…? Every day American businesses generate enough paper to circle the earth 20 times ! Paper products use up at least 35 percent of the world's annual commercial wood harvest. The highest point in Ohio is said to be "Mount Rumpke," which is a "mountain" made up of trash -- at a sanitary landfill! Rumpke is one of the nation's largest waste and recycling companies.Rumpke Each year, Americans throw away 25 billion Styrofoam cups.

Did you know…? A new landfill generally costs more than an old one that has filled up. This is because it typically costs more to comply with new environmental regulations, to buy the land, to construct the landfill and to transport waste because new landfills generally are farther away than older ones. Every year more than 900 million trees are cut down to provide raw materials for American paper and pulp mills

True or False? Beginning about 1690, paper was made in the U.S. from old rags. Paper production from wood did not begin until the late 1800s. Early paper was made in Egypt out of papyrus. -True Paper recycling began in the U.S. in the 1970s -False, it began in the 1930s Wastepaper recycling is big business. In October of 1997, wastepaper shipments from the U.S. to other countries totaled almost $76 million. -True

True or False? Recycling a stack of newspapers just 3 feet high can save one tree. -True Disposable diapers last centuries in landfills. An average baby will go through 2,000 of them! -False, 8,000 diapers Only 1 percent of the world's water supply is usable; 97 percent is in the ocean and 2 percent is frozen. -True

True or False? Americans make more than 200 million tons of garbage each year, enough to fill Busch Stadium from top to bottom twice a day! -True It takes an 8–year-old tree to produce 700 grocery bags. -False, it takes a 15-year-old tree Every Sunday, Americans waste 90 percent of recyclable newspapers. This wastes 10,ooo trees! -False, this wastes 500,000 trees

Everything old is new again! Where does the trash go? When you throw something "away", it doesn't go away! Trash is either burned, buried, recycled or dumped into rivers and oceans. Old printing and writing paper can become new printing and writing paper, wrapping paper, and paper used for magazines, books and brochures. Old scrap paper of all kinds can be used to make new paper towels and tissues, egg cartons, fruit trays and flower pots.

Everything old is new again! Old newspapers can become new newspapers. Old corrugated boxes can become new corrugated boxes. Old toy boxes or shoe boxes can become new cereal and soap boxes, soft drink cartons and pizza boxes. Old grocery bags can become new mail wrappings for magazines and catalogs, new dog food bags as well as new grocery bags.