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FEBRUARY 2020

A Note from Jane


More than 25 years ago, I taught about waste reduction and recycling in DuPage County, Illinois, with a wonderful nonprofit called SCARCE. I still love reading their newsletters and staying in touch with its incomparable environmental educator, Kay McKeen.

This month, I am passing along information the organization shared about International Polar Bear Day. It’s fun to see when SCARCE shares items from our newsletters as well!

Jane Hiller
Education Director, Sonoco Recycling

Sustainable News 

International Polar Bear Day

February 17, 2020 is International Polar Bear Day. Every year, this global event draws attention to the challenges polar bears face in the warming Arctic—and how we each can help.
 
Pictured below is a volunteer in the process of building an igloo using milk jugs from a nearby Starbucks at her local library in Naperville, Illinois, using these directions.
What’s going on with polar bears?
Polar bears require sea ice for efficient hunting. Without sea ice, polar bears will decline in range and numbers, making them vulnerable to extinction in the future.

What can we do?
Using less energy produced by carbon-based fuels reduces our emissions and can slow or maybe even stop global warming, in turn saving our sea ice.

Activities:
  • Take the pledge to speak up for bold action on climate change
  • Take part in the Thermostat Challenge at home, work or school to reduce your carbon footprint
  • Check out special Polar Bear Day coverage on Facebook from Polar Bears
  • Play the Save the Polar Bear Game for early childhood learners
What's Going On with Milk Jugs?
Like polar bears, some recycling markets are struggling. But recently, milk jug plastic (#2 natural) in some areas of the U.S. is selling at a 10 year high, and soda bottle plastic (#1 pet) is also showing market gains, according to resource-recycling.com.
Here in the Carolinas, these plastics, along with colored #2 plastic bottles, have very strong markets because we have factories to recycle them into new products and create thousands of jobs, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce. What do they become? #1 bottles become polyester fiber for products like t-shirts, fleece or carpet; and #2 bottles become products like plastic lumber or industrial piping.
Unfortunately, Carolinians only recycle a small percent of plastic bottles, and our factories must import the rest from other countries. Here’s the solution…empty, rinse, recap and recycle ALL of your plastic bottles!

In the picture above, a young student is amazed to watch the magic of plastic bottles turning into new products at a community recycling education table.

School News 

What’s Going on at the Richland Two Institute of Innovation (R2i2)?

Students in Kirstin Bullington’s clean energy technology class were recently named state winners for the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition with their project to improve plastic recycling in their school and community.

Specifically, they will look for ways to both incentivize recycling of single use bottles in the school and create a prototype to drain/clean the bottles to make the process more successful. To kick-off their project, they visited Sonoco Recycling to see how recycling is sorted here.

Happenings in Lexington School District One

L1 kick-started their revitalized recycling program in January with a training led by Traude Sander, Lexington County Recycling Coordinator, Jane Hiller, Sonoco Recycling jane.hiller@sonoco.com and Gail Wilson, Anchor Shred & Recycle

Home School Education Updates

The South Carolina State Museum hosts free education days for home school families. Recently, EEASC members, Mimi Draft, Benjamin Wildt and Jane Hiller helped families discover ways to reduce, reuse and properly recycle plastic bags. Students pictured below wove mats from grocery bags on pizza box looms!

What books work best to educate students about recycling?

Anna DeLage from the South Carolina Department of Commerce is hoping to compile a list of teachers’ favorite recycling books. Please send your list of favorites to Jane Hiller.

What’s new with the SC Green Step Schools Initiative?

Teachers are asked to begin submitting pictures documenting students’ learning, doing and teaching others about each of their projects to both their mentors and Jane Hiller.

Mentors are asked to submit a list of the schools and projects they are mentoring for this school year to Jane Hiller.
 

EEASC Announcements 

Regional Conference

The Environmental Education Association of South Carolina is excited to be hosting a southeastern regional conference September 24-26. We are busy:

Events in February

 
NOW
Gills Creek Watershed Association is seeking a new Executive Director.
Contact: Ann Yancey
 
The City of West Columbia is seeking eco-activities at their Kinetic Derby Day to be held on April 25.
Contact: Kelly Ricard
 
FEBRUARY 3

Deadline to submit nominations for
Richland County Conservation Teacher of the Year
 

FEBRUARY 3

Application deadline for Conservation Education Mini-Grants to support environmental projects at Richland County schools with up to $1,000.
 

FEBRUARY 6

EEASC Green Messaging Table at the Columbia Art Center, 1227 Taylor Street
First Thursday “Worlds of Creativity” featuring the art, culture, and environmentalism of African Americans
Time: 6:00p.m. - 8:00p.m.
 

FEBRUARY 10

Deadline for submitting student posters for the 2020 Richland County Conservation Poster Contest.
Contact: Chanda Cooper
 

FEBRUARY 11

EEASC Midlands Meetup/Workshop: Basics of Interpretation
Saluda Shoals Park
Details and registration
Time: 3:30p.m. - 5:00p.m.
 

FEBRUARY 17-19

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Association of South Carolina Conservation Districts (SCACD) are sponsoring a Partnership Conference in Charleston at the Marriott on Lockwood Drive. This year’s theme is Coastal Conservation.
 

FEBRUARY 27

EEASC Make & Take Workshop “Crayons to Candles”
Richland County C&D Landfill, 1070 Caughman Road North, Columbia, S.C. 29203
Free for EEASC Members. $5 cash at the door for non-members.
Register or RSVP to Jane Hiller.
Time: 4:00p.m. - 5:30p.m.
 

FEBRUARY 28

Regional Recycling Event at Riverbanks Zoo for residents of both Lexington and Richland Counties.
Time: 9:00a.m. - 1:00p.m.


FEBRUARY 29

Congaree National Park is seeking presenters for their Forest Wellness Day on February 29.
Contact: gregory_cunningham@nps.gov

 

Plan Ahead


MARCH 2-6

Heathwood Hall Episcopal School is seeking real-world experiences (job shadowing and internships) for 9th-12th grade students during “Winterim,” the first week of March 2020.
Contact: Donnie Bain if you are willing to have a student (or students) shadow your office, or if you have a student project that would provide real-world experience.
 

MARCH 5

EEASC Green Messaging Table at Columbia Art Center’s First Thursday
“Worlds of Creativity” celebrating Palestine. Members can volunteer to help plan and run the table by contacting Jane Hiller.
 

MARCH 15

Deadline to submit session proposals for the Southeastern Environmental Education Conference, hosted in Columbia by EEASC (Environmental Education Association of SC.) Details here for
General Sessions and Research Sessions.   
 

MARCH 16 - APRIL 24

Students for Zero Waste Week 2020     
Contact: Naomi Pollack
 

MARCH 19

Home School Thursday needs volunteer EEASC presenters
for these time slots: 1pm – 2pm  /  2:30pm – 3:30pm
Contact: timia.thompson@scmuseum.org
 

DON'T MISS THIS
Deadline to register (up to 60) 4th/5th grade students for Richland Recycles Student Sustainability Day, to be held Tuesday, April 28 at the State Fair Grounds.
Contact: Jackie Hong.
 

Year Round:
The Richland County Recreation Commission is seeking presenters for their “Conservation Kids” programs.
Contact: Shanita Seymore.

 
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