History Repeats Itself At Ben Franklin

With all the students gathered 'round the flagpole, Principal Kirk Samples hoists the Earth Flag at Franklin School during the Glen Ellyn school's Earth Day recertification ceremony. Back in December 1991, the very first Earth Flag was awarded to Sandburg School in Wheaton, and Kirk's mom, Peg Samples, was principal at Sandburg at the time!  Congratulations, mother, son, and Ben Franklin!  

Still A Few Seats - Don't Miss The Bus!

We'll take you places you've never even thought to go!

We have planned 2 thrilling, 1-of-a-kind summer workshops just for you! Our teachers always say these lively, rigorous courses are among their all-time favorites! Fast-paced, hands-on, and loaded with ideas and resources you will bring back to share with your students and your entire school, we think they'll become favorites for you too! Earn as you learn! (CPDU or grad credit) It's time to hop on the bus, Gus! Join us for one or both of them.

June 12^th-13^th: Shed Those Watershed Blues for 3^rd-12^th Teachers

June 16^th-20^th: Where Is Away? for K-12 Teachers

Extra! Extra! Extravaganza Bonanza!

Ginormous thanks to Sims! On Saturday, April 19, the company opened its doors in West Chicago for electronics recycling, and hundreds of people dropped off 65 Tons of electronics! Sims also sent 7 semis to Wheaton's event, where another 53 Tons were collected. Sims collected a total of 118 tons from both Extravaganzas that day! A whopping 236,000 pounds of precious natural resources (some of which are considered hazardous waste) were kept from the landfill that one day!

Wheaton's Hawthorne School held an electronics collection with a unique twist: families wishing to save time, and help the PTA, donated $5 each for special delivery service. Principal John Patterson & a neighbor loaded 3 vans and drove them to Sims' 5/19 event in West Chicago - and the PTA raised $100 for its clever scheme. The next weekend, Incoming PTA President Vicky Bailey coordinated a Rummage Sale of items donated by Hawthorne families. The sale raised $1,400; unsold things (in good, clean condition) were donated to those in need.

Many benefited from these down-to-Earth, Earth-Friendly, Earth Week projects: Hawthorne families cleaned their attics, basements & backrooms; underprivileged families received the donated goods; the PTA raised ($100 + $1,400 for a total of) $1,500; and the environment is a better place because of the sustainable events the PTA held for the Hawthorne community! 

116 Sustainable Design HS Students Rock!

The Sustainable Design Challenge 2008 was a towering success! 116 HS students from 6 high schools (Downers Grove North, Glenbard East, Glenbard South, Naperville North, Wheaton Warrenville South, and York) displayed the green building models they designed at the County Building in Wheaton in April. Wish we had room for each one!

Super Superintendent Schewe

The Daughters of the American Revolution recently awarded District 45 Superintendent William Schewe its national award In Recognition of Outstanding Achievement for Environmental Awareness. Dr. Schewe accepted the award, crediting the District's Conservation Committee, student club members, and "the rest of the staff, who are helping to recycle, conserve energy & compost to preserve the natural resources of our country, its soils, minerals, forests, waters, air & wildlife." Congratulations are in order for the District 45 community, and for Dr. Schewe - who truly has been a super environmental leader for everyone in the district!

USA Pushes Paper-Recycling Envelope!

My fellow Americans: congratulations! The numbers are in, and we have set an all-time paper-recycling record. We beat all expectations, and jumped (from 53% in 2006) to recycling 56% of all the paper we consumed in 2007; that adds up to a whopping 54.3 tons!

In 2003, the paper industry set a goal to achieve 55% recycling rate by 2012. Because of these great statistics, the industry has adjusted its goal to recycle 60% by 2012. For more, log onto American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), which compiles and crunches all these numbers for the paper industry.

Gym Shoe Event Nears May 20^th Finish Line

The 2008 athletic shoe collection is sprinting to an end, and it's been a heck of a run! We asked only for your holey-oldies, but hundreds of pairs in such good shape have come in, they can be given away. In fact, six vans have already been filled to the brim, to take the shoes to people in need of them.

 Brian Martston, an Eagle Scout from Glenbard East HS who organized the "Stuff for the Poor" project, prepared 2 van loads of shoes for Rwanda. Other volunteers have sorted, boxed, and shipped off load after load of gently-used shoes, to find their soles again, on hundreds of happy feet around the corner, and around the world - from Aurora IL to Ghana, Haiti, New Orleans, and beyond.

    Until Tuesday, May 20, gym/tennis/athletic shoes may still be brought to SCARCE in Glen Ellyn. Call 630-545-9710 to schedule a drop-off. For details, please jog onto the Shoe Rescue web page.

Lost Your Wedding Ring?

A bag/box filled with gym shoes and one wedding ring was delivered to SCARCE headquarters recently. The shoes will be recycled, but we are reasonably certain the ring was an unexpected donation! If this story has a familiar ring to it - you recycled your shoes and/or volunteered for the shoe project and you lost your wedding ring - please call us at 630-545-9710. 

End of Year Action

• Stop end of the year waste by planning  to deal with locker/desk leftovers - Click to get our Locker Leftover guidelines.
• Recycle glue bottles
• Donate old text, reference & library books to SCARCE Book Rescue (call to schedule a drop-off) 

Brush Up On Annual Latex Paint Recycling Program

June 2^nd will kick off DuPage County's 8^th free summer latex paint recycling program at the Woodridge Wastewater Treatment Facility, 7900 S. Rte. 53. Latex paint can be dropped off M-F from 8am-2pm and a few Saturdays.

ATTN: Art and Drama Teachers - Anyone who wants it is welcome to free paint. For more info, roll onto  the latex paint recycling details on the Dupage County website.