1. GREEN & HEALTHY TRIBAL WORKSHOP Peaks to Prairies Pollution Prevention Center

2. Peaks to Prairies- who we are  A Pollution Prevention Information Center for EPA Region 8 (MT, WY, ND, SD, UT, CO)  One of 8 EPA funded Regional Centers whose mission is to distribute tools and information to businesses, industries, technical assistance providers, state and tribal government agencies for the purpose of aiding in the practice of pollution prevention  A program under MSU’s Department of Extension – Housing and Environmental Health- Bozeman

4. Peaks to Prairies Pollution Prevention Center- Tribal Green and Healthy School Workshop Reduce Your Footprint: Waste Reduction & Recycling in Schools

5. Overview  Reduce  Energy Efficiencies, Paper, Lunch, Air Pollutants  Recycle  Basics (paper, plastic, cardboard etc.), E-waste, Mercury  Special Activities  Localized Fundraisers, Earth Day  Strategies for Success

6. The annual energy bill to run America’s primary and secondary schools is a staggering 6 billion dollars. This more than what is spent on textbooks and computers combined. 1. True 2. False

7. What percentage of the total carbon emissions in the country are commercial (includes schools) and industrial buildings are responsible for? 1. 10% 2. 25% 3. 50% 4. 75%

8. Why Schools are important  Can often be the largest waste generator in town – especially rural communities  Students are highly motivated and like ‘hands-on’ important work  Builds a future of well-educated consumers and recyclers by modeling behavior to an age where they are most likely adopt new behaviors for life

9. Energy Conservation & Efficiency

10. Why School Buildings are Important  Commercial buildings and industrial facilities generate about 50 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. This means that energy use in buildings is the largest opportunity to achieve reductions in GHG emissions.  Energy costs represent a typical school district’s second largest operating expense, after salaries—more than the cost of computers and textbooks combined.  Energy efficiency is vital to schools in the United States. The nation’s 17,450 K-12 school districts spend more than $6 billion annually on energy.  Reductions of 10 percent in energy use can be possible with little or no cost.

11. Where to start – Step 1  Know where you are - this is your Baseline (initial collection of data serves as the basis for comparison with the future  Calculate your Footprint – on your own GHG Protocol Initiative www.ghgprotocol.org/ (calculators to help industries calculate their carbon usagewww.ghgprotocol.org/ Clean Air Cool Plant www.cleanair-coolplanet.org (schools/universities) Campus Climate Action Toolkit and Carbon Calculatorwww.cleanair-coolplanet.org Energy Star – tools and technical assistance that are no cost to use. More school districts utilize Energy Star than a 3 rd party audit  Choose a 3 rd party to conduct an energy audit  You will need your energy bills - find the person who with the checkbook !

12. Tools: Energy Star  A government-backed, voluntary program that helps organizations and individuals protect the environment through superior energy performance by providing energy-efficient solutions for homes, businesses, and institutions.  The national symbol for environmental protection through energy efficiency, recognized by more than 75% of all U.S. households.

13. ENERGY STAR Tools to Save  ENERGY STAR tools and resources to help you save 10% or more!  Guidelines for Energy Management  Target Finder  Portfolio Manager  Building Upgrade Manual  More …. Many districts are saving 20 -30 %! Some are saving as much as 40%!! How much can your school district save?

14. ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager  Free on-line tool for all commercial buildings  Track energy use – score 1-100  Track energy costs, upgrades, and investment cost  Track water consumption  Apply for ENERGY STAR recognition  Also – training and networking sessions available for K-12 schools www. energystar.gov/buildingwww. energystar.gov/building

15. Medical Offices Office Buildings HospitalsWarehousesDormitoriesSupermarketsCourthouses K-12 Schools Bank/Financial Institutions Hotels Wastewater Treatment Plants Retail Stores Houses of Worship Space Types Eligible for the 1-100 Performance Rating System

16. ENERGY STAR Resource - Building Upgrade Manual http://www.energystar.gov/bldgmanual  Plan and implement profitable energy saving building upgrades utilizing five stages:  Retrocommissioning  Lighting upgrade  Load reductions  Air distribution systems upgrade  HVAC upgrade

17. The ENERGY STAR Challenge Toolkit  Sign up online and access the toolkit at www.energystar.gov/challenge  Get Started! Quick lists of ENERGY STAR Resources for buildings and homes Model for establishing an energy efficiency campaign for your community  Learn More! Fact sheets on energy use in difference parts of the community (offices, hotels, K-12 schools, supermarkets, congregations, etc.) Fast facts on energy use and climate change to help you craft your message  Spread the Word! Sample news releases Tips on working with the media to promote your efforts

18. Steps for Tribes to Launch ENERGY STAR Challenge to K-12 1. Make internal decision to do it Work with EPA to customize it to fit your tribal goals 2. Issue Press Release Use examples from EPA as model 3. Post webpage linking to ENERGY STAR Challenge Use examples from EPA as model 4. Create implementation outline/timeline Work with EPA schedule webcasts for schools Contact: Patty Crow – EPA Energy Star crow.patty@epa.gov 303-312-6464 crow.patty@epa.gov

19. Steps to Energy Audit via 3 rd Party 1. Initial Assessment 2. Preliminary Cost Estimate 3. Investment Grade Audit 4. Assistance with Funding Opportunities 5. Project Implementation Contact: Tim Tolman at McKinstry in Missoula 406- 214-3501

20. Tools: Energy Audits  Florence School District – goal was to save $7000/ year, actually saved $23,000  Great Falls School District – anticipated cost reduction of $380,000/year (through lighting & water improvements, system control upgrades)  Browning School District is on its way

21. After the audit  This is your Baseline (initial collection of data serves as the basis for comparison with the future)  Benchmark with other schools – are you paying more than $0.75/ft2?  Costs are less reliable to track than usage  Develop an Energy Management Plan  Prioritize projects – long-term versus immediate  Make energy efficiencies part of the job description for your facilities managers  Train your staff

22. 2 nd – Develop an Energy Management Plan

24. 3 rd Reduce your load  Don’t go to alternative energies just so you can continue to waste

25. Reduce – Energy Efficiencies Change your lightbulbs and go one (or two, or three) steps further

26. Get a handle on your phantom plugload

27. Computer Power Management

28. To Maximize Power Savings, EPA Recommends:  Setting monitors to enter sleep mode after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity  Setting computers to enter system standby or hibernate after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity  On notebooks, be sure to activate these settings in the AC power profile — not just the DC (battery power) profile  Don’t bother with “Turn off hard disks” in AC power profile – savings are trivial  The lower the settings, the more energy you save

29. Air handling systems  Inspect and proactively maintain them (scales and buildup happen in a year & efficiency drops)  Control exhaust fans- particularly in science classrooms

30. Formalize your policy  Random acts of excellence are not likely to stick.  Document your best practices and formalize a policy within your administration/ school board etc.

31. Follwup: The annual energy bill to run America’s primary and secondary schools is a staggering 6 billion dollars. This more than what is spent on textbooks and computers combined. 1. True 2. False

32. Followup: What percentage of the total carbon emissions in the country are commercial (includes schools) and industrial buildings are responsible for? 1. 10% 2. 25% 3. 50% 4. 75%

33. Reduce – Energy, water, paper, lunch waste

34. Largest generation of waste from a school comes from the: 1. Cafeteria 2. Classrooms 3. Main office

35. The best way to dispose of electronic waste is in the landfill. 1. True 2. False

36. A waste assessment is an action that should only be conducted by waste professionals 1. True 2. False

37. Reduce - Paper  Reduce handouts to parents  Double side printing or use ½ sheets  Daily email announcement and a monthly or bi-weekly newsletter  Encourage email or district website postings  Policy regarding community bulletins- post on website not via paper announcements.

38. Reduce – No Waste Lunches  Consider a recess followed by lunch schedule  Offer versus Served Program

39. Say NO to Polystyrene  Provide metal utensils, biodegradable cups and napkins  No more polystyrene trays or plates

40. Zero Waste Home Lunches  Inform parents on how home lunches can be zero waste  Avoid single serving packaging  Refillable bottles versus juice boxes and containers  Cloth napkins  Re-usable containers  Metal utensils  Pack it in – Pack it out

41. Lunch Waste Disposal

42. Compost and Gardens

43. Reduce – Water consumption What are the water consumption habits at your school?  Do your faucets drip?  Are your bathroom sinks left on?  Do you have waterless urinals? Low-flow toilets?  What is your landscaping?

44. Reduce – Air pollutants  Institute a no-idling policy  Apply this to parents as well as buses

45. RECYCLE – Basics, E-Waste, bulbs

46. Recycling – Basic Programs Paper, Plastic, Cardboard, Aluminum, Glass

47. Steps to Set up Your Recycling Program 1. Form a team  Find out who supports recycling  Consider conducting a survey  Get permission from principal and include parents, teachers, facilities staff, cafeteria etc  Appoint a committee chair 2. Conduct a waste assessment 3. Goals and Actions  Start small – pick the recyclable material that makes up the highest percentage of your waste stream

48. Setting up your recycling program 4. Figure out where materials will go  Start with you current trash hauler  Is there a city recycling program?  Are there private recycling companies?  Consider a district wide collection or can you work with a local business? 5. Determine how they will be stored 6. Work through your in-school collection system  Who and how often?

49. Recycling – Printer Cartridges

50. Recycling – E Waste

51. E-Waste Pollutants  Cadmium – rechargeable computer batteries and monitors  Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cabling – circuit boards, cables, connectors  Mercury – lighting devices in flat screen displays  Lead, beryllium, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium…  Over 60 elements from the periodic table can be found in complex electronics.

52. State Electronics Challenge  In 2009, a Source Reduction Grant was awarded to the NE Recycling Council to introduce and support the State Electronics Challenge in EPA Region 8  Good resource for school districts to help manage their electronics responsibly (i.e. purchasing green computers, energy conservation, proper recycling at the end of their useful life).  Voluntary & Free – entities join as Partners  Partners commit to take action to reduce the environmental footprint of the computers/electronic commitment  In return, they receive technical assistance/tools  As far as I know this program will be continued www.nerc.org

53. SEC 2010 Results  In its third year, the SEC expanded from its Northeast roots to serve state, regional, tribal, and local governments in the Rocky Mountain and Great Lake States. Now 63 Partners whose activities resulted in significant environmental benefits:  Saving enough energy to power 5,656 households/year  Avoiding greenhouse gases emissions equivalent to removing 5,535 cars from the road/year  Avoiding the generation of 412,614 lbs of hazardous waste.

54. Recycling - Mercury

55. Special events – opportunities for change

56. Party Green  Disposable cups –vs- Reusable cups and mugs  Bottled water –vs- Pitchers, water stations  Disposable paper plates and utensils –vs- reusable Tub-o-Dishes  Garbage cans –vs- Recycling Bin  Name tags –vs- Reusable name badges  Local &/or healthy foods –vs- Sugar & processed

57. Special Activities- Localized Fundraisers  Community art-market  Farm to School Fundraiser  Meat / egg shares  Yard sales/ auctions  Local business services or items

58. Special Activities – Earth Day  Recycle week contest – bring awareness to the amount of recyclable materials entering the waste stream  Re-cycle / re-use drive – collect cell phones, printer cartridges, batteries  Waste audits – conducted by students  Bike / walk to school  Non-toxic cleaner parties – make and test against conventional cleaners

59. Strategies for Success

60. Start with a Waste Assessment A general way of looking at a school’s waste stream 1. Preliminary questions 2. Site Tour 3. Interviews  Keeping these questions in mind throughout:  Why do we purchase this?  Can we use less of it or use it more efficiently?  Can we reuse it, recycle it, or compost it?

61. The goal of conducting a waste assessment is to:  Document the current waste management system.  Estimate the types of wastes generated.  Identify and prioritize waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting opportunities.  Outline a plan of action.  Identify measures of success and track program progress.  Make program adjustments as necessary.

62. Name of School: Key Contact: Direct Phone number/extension: Email: Date: Number of students in the school: Grade levels: Number of teachers: Number of teacher/staff work areas and break rooms: Number of administrators and other staff: Cafeteria: Has a kitchen? Yes No Concession Stand? Yes No Vending Machines - How many and where are they located? Location 1: Number: Aluminum cans Plastic bottles Milk cartons Other Location 2: Number: Aluminum cans Plastic bottles Milk cartons Other Location 3: Number: Aluminum cans Plastic bottles Milk cartons Other Are special or hazardous wastes produced by the school? (Such as in the Art rooms, Ceramics Lab, Jewelry Making Shop, Wood Shop, Automotive Shop, Photography Lab, Vocational Labs, etc.) Yes No If yes, see page 8. Custodial service Key Contact: Direct Phone: Email: In-house Contracted Frequency of in-school waste collection: Daily Every other day Weekly Other: Waste Hauler: Key Contact: Phone: Email: In-house Municipal service Contracted/Private hauler

63. C AFETERIA I NFORMATION Key Contact: Direct Phone number/extension: Email: How many meals are served each day? For Breakfast?: for Lunch: Do students choose what they want or is food served with no choice? Choice No Choice How is food served? Reusable plates Paper plates Polystyrene (Styrofoam) plates No plates used Reusable cups/bowls Paper cups/bowls Polystyrene (Styrofoam) cups/bowls No cups/bowls used Reusable trays Paper trays Polystyrene (Styrofoam) trays No trays used Other: How are drinks served? Paper-cartons Plastic bottles (#1 PET) Plastic bottles (#2 HDPE) Glass containers Bulk dispenser, using plastic cups Bulk dispenser, using paper cups Bulk dispenser, using reusable, washable glasses Other: If using polystyrene trays, how many trays are used each day? What types of utensils are used? Reusable Disposable Are drinking straws provided? Yes No How are condiments (including salt and pepper) served? Bulk dispensers Individual packets Combination of both Describe: Do students have access to the napkin holders or is one napkin provided per meal? Free access One per meal What types and amounts of packaging is the food delivered in? (Example: meat comes into the cafeteria wrapped in clear plastic bags, reusable tubs, etc.): Do vegetables come in tin cans? What size and how many cans are used each day? How are cheeses and lunch meats packaged? Is bread delivered as individually wrapped loaves? List any individually wrapped items served such as chips, muffins, desserts etc? About how much food waste is generated in the cafeteria each day? Number of garbage bags each day (Specify bag size): From cafeteria: From kitchen:

64. Strategies for Success – It’s all about relationships  Build a team and designate leaders  Students – cater to young and older  Teachers – natural leaders and the key facilitator of recycling programs and curriculum tie-ins  Obtain support from your School Board, superintendents, and principals  That support is critical for enacting lasting change by establishing policies for purchasing, cleaning, recycling etc.  Building and maintenance staff are a critical part of many of these discussions  Parents and Community

65. Educate your children- build these principals into the culture of your school family  Incorporate the science of climate change, watershed processes, water quality, ecosystem functioning into your curriculum  Inspire change through reading assignments  Encourage action through planned activities and clubs

66. Incentives  Save your school money  Grant Sources  State Environmental Organization and US EPA EPA R8 Resource Conservation Challenge Funds - Ben Bents (4 priority areas: MSW Recycling, Greening Electronics, Industrial Materials Recycling, Priority Chemicals Reduction) EPA R8 Source Reduction Grants – Linda Walters EPA HQ Innovation Initiative (IWG Grant) - Ben Bents EPA Grants Homepage www.epa.gov/region08/grants/www.epa.gov/region08/grants/  USDA periodically has rural development funds www.rurdev.usda.gov www.rurdev.usda.gov  SEC Challenge  Award Programs & support from the school community

67. Followup: Largest generation of waste from a school comes from the: 1. Cafeteria 2. Classrooms 3. Main office

68. Followup: The best way to dispose of electronic waste is in the landfill. 1. True 2. False

69. Followup: A waste assessment is an action that should only be conducted by waste professionals 1. True 2. False

70. Peaks to Prairies Pollution Prevention Center Montana State University Myla Kelly – Coordinator 406-994-6948 myla.kelly@montana.edu www.peakstoprairies.org