Oakland Unified School District
Resources
Table of Contents
Outdoor/hallways
Waste Sorting Stations
Hallways/Faculty lounge
Classrooms, Offices, Copy Supply Rooms
Kitchen
Admin Offices
Bathrooms
Handwashing stations
Breakfast in the Classroom
Student Meal Sorting Station
Introducing Your Class to Waste Sorting!
It makes a difference to have the whole school sorting properly, we appreciate this focused time to educate and engage your students on the why and how to waste sorting.
Here are the requests to do with your students:
Book an Assembly or Presentation
Have your whole class and/or school learn to sort together!
To schedule, please contact:
nancy.deming@ousd.org, benner.mullin@ousd.org or naditza.camacho@ousd.org
We can be in person or stream directly to your classroom or to many classrooms for a presentation, conversation or assembly:
Videos
Please share one or more of the sorting videos with your class before they play sorting games.
Waste Sorting 101 Mini Slide Deck
Click here for a short slide deck to be reviewed within 10 minutes.
Perfect to use just before students will be eating.
What Happens to Waste at OUSD?
Transfer Station:
Our Transfer Station:
Landfill:
Compost:
Refuse to Refuel:
Recycling:
Online Sorting Games
Have your students follow up the videos with online sorting games to test their knowledge!
Waste sorting review resources are ready to be
delivered to your school!
Lesson plan and activities can be done and shared with your students for a fun way to learn about proper sorting and additional waste prevention projects.
Print out activities
Please use these activities with your students for a fun way to learn more on proper sorting and additional waste reduction projects.
Sustainability Art Contest
Enjoy a look at OUSD’s Student art gallery from 2023 and join us next year!
CDC support
Our team can provide presentations to preschool classes or welcome to use our slide deck review as helpful.
Have Students in charge of preventing waste and ensuring waste ends up in the correct bin, both in the classroom and eating areas!
Student Green Team Monitors
Student Monitor Scheduling Template
More to come!
Reduce and Reuse
Super Reducer and Professor Reuse need help from your class to reduce wasteful classroom and lunch practices and send smaller loads to the Landfill!
Sort Waste
The Recycler and Rot Girl need help from your class to sort waste into the correct bins to reuse recyclable material and divert green waste from producing methane in Landfills.
Classroom Sorting Guide Cafeteria Sorting Guide
Campus posters
Campus Posters
Green Team Resources
Nancy Deming: nancy.deming@ousd.org
Litter Cleanup Kit
Waste audits, food waste resources, worm bins, classroom and school event best practices.
And direct support with a school site visit.
Waste Audits
Schedule a waste audit for students to have a hands on learning experience to understand issues about our waste stream and find solutions for improvement. Contact us to schedule!
Additional waste audit examples:
EPA Food Waste Research
More than 40% of food is wasted
A lot of factors go into making food so when we waste food, we are also wasting all the components and systems that helped create that food
When food is thrown into landfill, it releases a greenhouse gas called methane that worsens the effects of climate change
Food waste produces more than 50% of GHG emissions in landfills therefore, we should compost instead
EPA Food Waste Research (cont’d)
Composting helps to put nutrients from food scraps and food-soiled paper back into soil that is used to grow healthy plants
Composting has several benefits, including:
Classroom Worm Bin
Classroom Party Kit
School Event Best Practices
Encourage:
Avoid:
Climate Anxiety Resources
OUSD’s Waste Prevention Team compiled a list of external resources addressing climate anxiety. Click the image on right to explore these resources.
School Reuse Hub
StopWaste, Cafeteria Culture, Litterati
Education Programs�Currently all education programs are virtual and limited in availability. Sign up for our schools e-news to stay up-to-date on program availability.
Teacher Network�Sign up for our schools e-news to stay up-to-date on when these webinars/events are coming up.
Curriculum & Classroom Resources
Questions? Email Schools@StopWaste.org
data to inform policy by testifying and rallying at City
Hall. Then eliminating single use plastics at their school.
Length: 1:16
Grades: K-7
Contact us to schedule a screening:
Nancy Deming: nancy.deming@ousd.org
Benner Mullin: benner.mullin@ousd.org
Naditza Camacho: naditza.camacho@ousd.org
Have a litter problem on or around your campus?
Use Litterati or Marine Debris Tracker to track your pickup!
For more information on Litterati, click here.
For more information on Marine Debris Tracker, click here.
Litter Pickup Mobile Apps
Documentaries
Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story
Nearly 50% of food ends up in the trash. Follow food’s journey
from farm, to retail, to fridge to see the causes of food waste.
Length: 1:13
Grades: 3-12
Video series on a variety of topics
This Emmy-winning documentary takes a sweeping look at the
man-made crisis of plastic pollution.
Length: 1:23
Grades: 6-12
A quick look into single use plastic straws, their effect on the ocean, and what we can do to help.
Length: 0:32
Grades: K-12
Length: 0:01.53
Grades: K-12
To download the whole kit or individual action activities, go here.
Food Waste Resources for the Classroom
Food Waste Prevention
Additional Organizations Resources
NRDC Wasted
Get Help from our Waste Prevention Team!
Schedule a site visit! Email us:
The site visit involves a walk through of the campus with the principal, assoc principal, custodial staff, and nutrition services staff (depending on who’s available) to determine what sorting supplies, educational materials and support are needed for a successful sorting program.
Nancy Deming: nancy.deming@ousd.org
Cameron Martin: cmarti13@wm.com
Need sorting supplies?
Take a look at our Supply Guide
We Got This!