HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3.1 Recycle Contest~~~~ Off' nU~~~
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DATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
CITY CLERK
File #810-60
May 15, 2012
Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
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Joni Pattillo, City Manager ° ~'
Final Results for the Elementary School Recycling Contest
Prepared by Kathy Southern, Environmental Technician
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will receive a report on the activities of the Dublin Unified School District
(DUSD) recycling contest for elementary schools and recognize the year-end top recyclers.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report and present certificates of recognition
to Dougherty Elementary, Murray Elementary and Frederiksen Elementary for their recycling
efforts.
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Reviewed By
Assistant City Manager
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Submitted By
Assistant to the City Manager
DESCRIPTION:
The adopted Dublin Green Plan included a goal to work with the City's schools to increase
awareness of the City's recycling and composting programs. In response, City and Dublin
Unified School District (DUSD) Staff applied for and received funding from the Altamont
Education and Advisory Board (EAB) to conduct a recycling contest for the DUSD's six
elementary schools. The Grant was awarded in the amount of $18,100. The City supplemented
the project budget with $5,000 from the City's recycling funds for a total project budget of
$23,100. The grant paid for supplies to assist the schools in establishing and increasing their
recycling and composting programs, provided each school with educational assemblies, and
paid each school's monthly cost of compost collection. The goal of the program was to reduce
waste in each of the schools, establish the City's composting program at every school, and
enhance recycling through education, as well as make it exciting by having each school
compete to be the top recycler.
Page 1 of 3 ITEM NO. 3.1
All of DUSD's elementary schools participated in an entertaining lunchtime assembly and
received supplies to assist students in being lunch-time monitors. The City's waste hauler,
Amador Valley Industries (AVI), assisted school staff with establishing their composting
programs. All schools implemented at least a food tray composting program, and three of the
schools went to full food scrap composting: Murray Elementary started in October, Frederiksen
Elementary in late January and Dougherty added full food scrap composting at the end of
March. In addition, all schools have recycling programs in the classrooms. Several schools
utilize student leadership or green teams to assist with collection of recyclables from the
classroom to the outdoor containers. Every school has a school garden, and some schools
have internal composting and worm bins.
Staff has monitored progress and provided technical assistance through waste audits and lunch
time observations. Teachers from four of the elementary schools participated in a StopWaste
teacher training on 4R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot) education and received curriculum
resources to use in their classrooms. Staff believes this program has been very successful, and
has applied fora 4R's grant for FY 2012-13 to continue building on the program efforts. If the
grant is accepted, the middle schools will be included in the contest next year.
End of Year Results
Final results for the recycling challenge were based on the total amount of diverted material
from the landfill and the percent increase in diversion of recyclable and compostable materials
from the start of the school year to the end of April (on a per student basis). In addition, bonus
points were also included in the year-end results for special programs and processes that each
school has participated in during the school year, such as worm composting, StopWaste
training, and utilizing students in their contest efforts. The winners are as follows:
Place School Total
Diversion Increase
in Diversion Total
Points
1. Dougherty Elementary 79% 31 % 155
2. Murray Elementary 87% 17% 139
3. Frederiksen Elementary 49% 19% 108
For clarity, Dougherty Elementary increased the amount of recyclable and compostable
materials (diversion) placed in those bins, as opposed to the garbage bin, by nearly 31 %. In
total, the District had a 13% increase in recyclable and compostable materials from the start of
the year to the end and diverted 56% of their waste from the landfill.
The end-of-the-year awards include monetary incentives for each school as well as for their
custodians. The prizes for the Parent Faculty Clubs are: 1St - $1,000; 2nd - $500; 3rd - $250; and
$100 each for 4t" - 6t" place. Custodial prize winners included gift certificates to Target: 1St
($150) -Frederiksen Elementary; 2nd ($100) -Dougherty Elementary; and 3rd ($75) -Murray
Elementary. The 4tn _ 6tn place custodians will each receive a $50 gift card.
In total, Staff believes that the recycling contest has been a great success and partnership.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
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A representative from Dougherty Elementary, Murray Elementary, and Frederiksen Elementary
has been invited to the City Council meeting to receive a Certificate of Recognition and prize
award.
ATTACHMENTS: None
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