Students explore the function of storm drains and the importance of keeping them clean of debris. They obtain permission from local authorities and perform community service painting stenciled messages near existing storm drains.

Students create and tend to an outdoor compost pile. They research about decomposition and composting. They create two activities for their peers to complete.

Explains biodegradable waste, non-biodegradable waste, and waste management and provides examples.

Students investigate what types of materials biodegrade in the soil, and learn what happens to their trash after they throw it away. The concepts of landfills and compost piles will be explained, and the students will have an opportunity...

In this lesson, students explore solid waste and its effects on the environment. They will collect classroom trash for analysis and build model landfills in order to understand the process and impact of solid waste management. Students...

This concise article explores possible solutions to the hazardous waste problem.

This activity provides a guide for making biodegradable planters.

Are people wasting yard waste? Why not turn a small corner of a backyard into a nutrient source that not only replenishes the soil but supports the base of the bird food pyramid.

In this activity, students explore the idea of biodegradability by building and observing a model landfill. This serves as an introduction to the idea of composting. Students learn about the role of engineering in solid waste management.

A science experiment to observe how materials decompose over time, By recording the smell, appearance, and movement of materials over three weeks, students will be able to make conclusions about their decompositions. Students will also...

Even though many cities have recycling programs, a lot of trash still ends up in the dump. Find out which materials will break down and which materials won't. Will the results of this experiment change which products you often buy?

In a multi-week experiment, students monitor the core temperatures of two compost piles, one control and one tended, to see how air and water affect microbial activity.

Scientists have recently found that mealworms may be able to break down and degrade styrofoam, a form of plastic previously thought not to be biodegradable. Read how this discovery may affect pollution.

This publication explains the agricultural and environmental benefits of composting household waste. It explains the difference between hot and cool composting systems. It also documents research indicating turfgrass benefits from humus...

Emma Bryce traces the life cycles of three different plastic bottles, shedding light on the dangers these disposables present to our world. [4:07]

This activity will allow students to bury various pieces of trash in a plotted area of land outside. After approximately two to three months, the trash will be uncovered to allow the students to investigate what types of materials...