Be Smart Coalition Krystel Wilburn Environmental to Geography Service Learning Project

What is the Be Smart Coalition? The Be Smart Coalition is an organization that focuses on waste reduction. From little things such as, using paper more wisely, to recycling correctly. This aspects saves money, resources, reduce pollution, and save landfill space!

Changes They Are Implementing! The Be Smart Coalition is a partnership of local communities, state agencies, non- profit and environmental organizations, and businesses dedicated to reducing waste and fostering sustainability in Wisconsin.

My Project Christian Love Child Care I decided to work with a daycare facility and teach the children how to recycle and save resources Helping the owner save money, time, and energy as well!

Calculating Bills Took a Look at Grocery Bills. Talked about ways to save when going Grocery Shopping, and buying supplies for the children and staff.

The Learning Process I started by teaching the children how to recycle We did projects such as recycling I showed the staff better ways to save Art supplies and turn other recyclable items into projects

Limitations There were factors that limited the staff and I to save resources. There are local laws the prohibit day care facilities to take certain actions because it endangers the health of the children

Results n After a month the owner and I sat down and look at the grocery bills and compared them. The grocery bill decreased about 75 dollars, and the amount of garbage decreased n The Staff and children now use three recycling bins, they turn items such as boxes into other projects, the staff gives out small portions of art supplies and if the children need more then they give them more.

Results n The owner trains other providers and now one of her seminars include ways the save as a provider and to reduce waste! n I asked the parents of the children if their children talked to them about the recycling and many of them said their children came excited and wanted to recycle at home!

On A Local Scale This specific project can only be done on a local level. Meaning that each day care facility in Milwaukee would find better ways the recycle and reduce waste on their own. A better way to implement this idea of reducing waste is to make it a mandatory requirement that each day care facility must recycles such as have three bins in the day cares. As well as the children bringing it to their parents attentions and getting other family members to join them in recycling and saving natural resources.

Many Day Cares get a lot of their supplies shipped to their facility. Shipping creates pollution and most of the garbage that comes from the day cares just like any person’s garbage goes into landfills. The more garbage, the more landfills will be needed. Usually landfills are not to far from urban communities. Most people don’t want landfills by their homes, meaning the these landfills are placed in areas where there are the least amount of resources and influence. Making the value of the community worse and they are typically placed in urban areas. The Be Smart Coalition is trying to reduce these things from happening. Projects like mines may seem little but will help in the long run. Inequalities

Summary I enjoyed working with the children and staff and teaching them how to save natural resources and recycle.