Dear Sue,
Happy New Year!
It is such an exciting time! More and more people are making resolutions to take care of the Earth. Now is the time to encourage your students to also make a decision to follow easy steps towards CONSERVATION: - turn off the lights, tv and computer monitor
- turn off the water when brushing your teeth
- pack No Waste Lunches
- walk or ride your bike when possible
- recycle, recycle, recycle!
Keep the good work going - we are so impressed with the initiatives that so many DuPage County schools are putting in place!
Environmentally yours,
The SCARCE Team
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Thanks to ABC Ch 7 News for Recognizing
SCARCE's Book Rescue
On December 4th, Channel 7 ABC News aired a story about SCARCE's Book Rescue and Super Crayon programs.Click on the link to view the video, ABC7 SCARCE Book Rescue VideoClick on the link to view the article, ABC7 SCARCE Book Rescue Article._______________________________________________________ The BOOK RESCUE is now taking ALL KINDS & LEVELS of Books including College Books & Textbooks! |
Recycling is on the Rise Worldwide!
Petcore, publisher of the PET recycling stats, reported that recycling increased by 9.8% to 27% in the United States in 2008. Such an increase is phenomenal! Numbers for Europe were even more outstanding. Their PET recycling increased to 46% in Europe for 2008. That is an 11% increase for them!
It is a truly hopeful sign that people are understanding the importance of saving and reusing our natural resources! Educating people about why it is so important to recycle our natural resources is key to increasing participation. As teachers, the information you bestow upon your students is imperative to the success of these programs.
Additional information at these links:
2008 Report on Postconsumer PET Container Recycling Activity
Plastics Identification Guide from Midwest Recycling Co
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Is Recycling on the Rise at Your School?
Is your school contributing to the FABULOUS increase in plastics recycling? Here are a few ideas to help move your school in the right direction.
Join Terracycle in collecting
a whole variety of non-recyclable wrappers and containers:   Juice Pouches Candy Wrappers Chip Bags Plastic Bottles Elmer's Glue Bottles/Sticks Scotch Tape containers
The GREAT thing is that Terracycle will PAY Your School/Non-Profit generally about $.02 for each collected item. PLUS, they pay the postage to send the items - Terracycle has made this really easy!
You MUST sign up for each individual collection. There are a limited number of slots. So, log on now and sign up!
You can also sign up to recycle the Elmer's Glue Bottle & Sticks through Walmart. Click on the Elmer's Glue Crew link to sign up.
It's  Our Earth in Wheaton also collects juice pouches and will pay your school $.02/pouch.
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What about all of those bottle caps?????
Aveda™, The Art and Science of Pure Flower and Plant Essences™, has put a fabulous BOTTLE CAP Recycling Program into place. Your school can collect bottle caps and turn them in to participating AVEDA salons.
To find out more about your school's participation in this program, just click on the link: AVEDA Recycling Caps or AVEDA Re-Caps
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Transparency Film Recycling with 3M
The recycling of 3M™ Transparency Film closes a loop and completes a
circle of recovery. What begins as an effective presentation tool comes
full circle as a recycled component in a variety of everyday items:
fiber fill for chairs and carpeting, automotive products, more
transparency film, insulation, and many more useful products made from
polyester. So don't throw away your chance to give your transparencies
new life. Close the loop and recycle them instead.
For more information, click on the link: 3M™ Transparency Film
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Other items you can collect for recycling and bring to SCARCE:- Inkjet Cartridges
- Cell Phones
PLUS, SCARCE wants your old books!!!Link to SCARCE Rescue Programs
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Collections with Terracycle Really Work!
Just Ask Jay Stream Middle School
in Carol Stream
In August, they signed up with Terracycle to collect Juice Pouches. Since the end of October, Jay Stream has begun collecting Candy Wrappers and Chip Bags.
As of the end of November, Terracycle has paid the school $204.96, and that does not count 5 more boxes of items they just sent in.
Assistant Principal Allison Moe says that collecting and sending items is very simple. Terracycle pays the shipping! PLUS, they are saving money because of REDUCED Garbage pick up. KUDOS to Jay Stream Middle School for taking such proactive steps to save natural resources!
JOIN the ECO-FRIENDLY Bandwagon
Save Natural Resources and Earn $$$ for Your School!
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Are Milk Cartons Recyclable?
Hundreds of students drink milk with their lunch at school. Those milk cartons add up to a whole lot of trees going uselessly to the landfill; plus, they add to the number of garbage pick ups because the milk cartons take up so much space.
Check with your waste hauler to see if they will take them from your school. We called Veolia, Waste Management, Allied and Groot. All of them said that they have milk carton recycling programs. So, be sure to ask. It's just one more way to reduce our garbage.
REMEMBER: Milk Cartons must be empty and free of other debris such as straws and other garbage to be taken for recycling.
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What About Plastic #6? Is it Recyclable?
Many recycling companies do not take plastic #6 (check with your local hauler). According to Earth 911, Polystyrene, plastic #6, "is not easily recycled because it's lightweight, has a low
scrap value and is not generally accepted as part of curbside recycling
programs...many companies are leery about recycling polystyrene, because it tends to be a fairly expensive process."
However, if you live near North Aurora, Dart Container Corp., 315 Evergreen Dr, is now taking polystyrene. Dart Container has a drive-up drop-off for plastic foam packaging and washed out food service items.
For more information, log onto Dart Container Corp.,Inc.
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Institute Day - February 26, 2010
Water Conservation: Water Quantity & Quality Issues
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
5 CPDUs
Water, water everywhere, but... What do you actually
know about our water? How does it get here from Lake Michigan? How do
we clean it? Are we really cleaning it? Why is stormwater management in
the news? It's truly eye-opening!
Get on the bus with us &
go to the DuPage Water Commission and Woodridge Green Valley Wastewater
Treatment Facility. Learn to use our watershed and groundwater flow
models.
Our workshops are jam-packed, fast-paced and filled
with the resources, activities and ideas you need to make this come
alive for your students while staying aligned with the Illinois State
Learning Standards.
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Back by Popular Demand
SCARCE 2010
Summer Teacher Workshops
Click on links for more info
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  HS Sustainable Design Challenge
April 13, 2010
Join us for the
4th Annual High School Sustainable Design Challenge All DuPage County High Schools are invited to participate in this Eye-Opening, Inspiring Event! Individuals and Groups are welcome to Research, Design and Build their own unique Eco-Friendly Buildings using the latest technologies. Last year OVER 145 High School Students Participated with Ingenious Designs and Cutting-Edge Innovations! For more information, click on SCARCE - Sustainable Design ChallengeContact us at ecoed@sbcglobal.net or 630.545.9710. |
Grants & Other Opportunities
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IL DCEO Composting Grant Opportunity
Applications Accepted Beginning January 4, 2010
The Illinois state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has
announced a new grant program aimed at increasing composting in the
state. The Food Scrap
Composting Grant program will be administered by DCEO and will assist
entities with the acquisition of equipment for sustainable projects
that will increase the long-term volume of organic material being
composted in Illinois. For more information on the Food Scrap Composting Grant program visit www.illinoisrecycles.com or call 217-785-2006. |
Paul D. Pierotti Memorial Scholarship
Application Due: January 15, 2010
This scholarship is
designed for students from DuPage, Kane, Kendall or
Will
Counties pursuing college majors and
careers in the environmental fields.
Applicants wishing to be considered for this scholarship must be a
volunteer or associated with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County or
The Conservation Foundation, possess a 3.0 cumulative G.P.A., provide details of
their academic achievement and an outline of their participation in
extracurricular activities, and write a 350 word essay on an environmental topic
determined annually by the selection committee.
Completed applications
are due by January 15, 2010. For
more information, contact:
The
Pierotti Memorial Scholarship
The
DuPage Community Foundation
2100 Manchester
Road, Bldg A,
Ste
303
Wheaton,
Illinois
60187
630-665-5556
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The Conservation Foundation Environmental Scholarship
Due by: January 29, 2010
This scholarship is
available to st udents residing in The Conservation Foundation's service area
(DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties) who are or will be upper classmen
attending an accredited two-year college, or a four-year accredited college or
university. Applications are due
January 29, 2010. For more
information, contact the Community Foundation of the
Fox River
Valley at (630) 896-7800 or visit www.communityfoundationfrv.org. |
 IL Biodiversity Field Trip Grant
Deadline: January 31, 2010
The
Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Application is available at the
DNR web site. Take your students on a field trip to study some aspect
of Illinois' natural or cultural biodiversity. Should you have
any questions, contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources'
Division of Education at dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov or 217-524-4126.
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EPA FY 10 Request for Proposal for Source Reduction Assistance Grant
Due by: February 4, 2010
State and local governments, tribes, universities, school districts, and non-profits are eligible for this grant program.
The purpose of these awards is to support environmental projects that reduce or eliminate pollution at the source.
For more information, use the link SRA Grant Program 2010
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Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grant
Due by: February 12, 2010
The Spring 2010 cycle is now open. The deadline for submitting
applications for this grant cycle is 5pm EST, February 12, 2010.
However, if 1,500 applications are received before the application
deadline, then the application process will close. To get started,
click on the "How to Apply" link at the top of this page. |
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"Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice" Video Contest
Due by: February 16, 2010
The EPA is sponsoring a video contest highlighting the 3Rs with the title "Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice." Cash prizes are available for 1st, 2nd, 3rd places and (2) Student Winners (13 to 18 years old).
For all of the details, click the link EPA "Three Rs" of Consumer Waste
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3Rs - Ripples Recommended Reading
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All in a Day
by: Cynthia Rylant
Ages: All Ages
This lovely book illuminates all the possibilities a day offers - the opportunities and chances that won't
ever come again - and also delivers a gentle message of good
stewardship of our planet. Newbery Medal winner Cynthia Rylant's poetic
text, alongside Nikki McClure's stunning, meticulously crafted
cut-paper art, makes this picture book not only timeless but appealing
to all ages, from one to one hundred. |
Over in the Jungle
by: Marianne Berkes
Ages: 4-8 years old
School Library Journal review
"A variation on the familiar song, this one enumerates some of the
unusual fauna of the rain forest. It not only spot-lights some of the
animals-marmosets, parrots, honey bears, leaf cutter ants, etc. but
also offers pertinent information on the habitat. Berkes describes the
different layers of the rainforest and its importance to our global
ecology and suggests movement activities for children to act out the
rhyme. ... This is a handsome book on an important
subject, and it can serve as recreational reading as well as an
introduction to a basic unit on the rain forest."
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Why There's Antifreeze in Your Toothpaste
by: Simon Quellen Field
Ages: HS and above
If you've wondered what all of those seemingly unidentifiable ingredients are that are listed on the labels of the products you use, this book has many of the answers. "This helpful guide can be used as a basic
primer on commercial chemistry or as an indexed reference to
specific compounds found on a product label. Never fear the grocery
again."
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Just Click on the Craft Title for the Instructions
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 Green Crafting Gift Wrap Bow
Don't throw out your old magazines, do some green crafting with them.
Having a lot of patience and time you can create this amazing-looking
multi-looped gift bow. Magazines have never been so crafty until now. |
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Use toilet paper tubes and a burned out light bulb
to create cute snowman Christmas ornaments with a touch of glitter.
These are a great low-cost Christmas activity to do with the whole
family. |
These little muslin snack bags are the perfect size for all your snacking needs and perfectly environmentally friendly saving all those plastic bags! Follow these instructions for sewing your own snack bags for everyday use. |
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Wishing you the Happiest, Healthiest, Greenest NEW Year!  The SCARCE Team
Scarce Environmental Education |
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DuPage County |
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2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen
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A wealth of information is available on the UN website for the Climate Change Conference. If you are looking for the issues discussed or want links to related articles and topics, this is your site. Just click the link, 2009 Climate Change Conference.
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