Protective Circles: Navajo educators trained in recycling and solid waste management at NAU<br>

Teachers from the Navajo Nation received educational resources to teach their students about recycling and other solid waste management alternatives during last weekend’s Protective Circles Workshop.

Teachers from twenty reservation schools visited Northern Arizona University for this two-day workshop that was funded by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and facilitated by The Environmental Education Outreach Program (EEOP)

The first day of the workshop was spent orienting the educators to solid waste issues and touring some of Flagstaff’s alternative solid waste management facilities. Ellen Ryan, the City of Flagstaff’s conservation educator guided tours of Flagstaff’s recycling facility and composting demonstration site.

The recycling facility deals with 40 tons of recyclable materials a day. Ryan demonstrated how the facility deals with that amount of materials and explained how and where the recycled materials are sold.

Ryan also explained the new ideas and applications of natural and worm composting systems and how Flagstaff students are discovering them. Composting systems are a practical way to transform organic waste into a useful soil amendment.

Becky White is the recycling sponsor at Kinsey Elementary School. She explained to the workshop participants what it takes to manage a school-recycling program.

Participants also toured NAU Recycles and learned how recycling facilities can function on a smaller scale.

“No matter how old we are there are always new things to learn,” said third grade Window Rock Elementary teacher Alice Hoskie.

The second day of the workshop was spent learning and practicing new activities that could be used to educate students about the impact of illegal dumping and alternatives to illegal dumping.

Participants learned to reduce the amount of trash they generate and what materials are and aren’t recyclable during the activity “Shopping for Waste.”

The permeability of different soils and how dumpsites can effect groundwater was learned during the activity “Landfill Tea” and “The Water Model” demonstration. Participants recommended that the demonstration be completed for the Navajo Tribal Council.

“If People really get into recycling and thinking about Mother Earth, our land would be more beautiful and sacred. People need to be educated so they can make better use of the materials they throw away,” said Hoskie.

Participants chose from three follow-up activity options. EEOP will travel to the participating schools and either give a classroom teaching, present an activity to students or orientate the entire staff of the school to activities and issues related to local solid waste concerns.

For more information on EEOP activities contact Mansel Nelson at (520) 523 1496.

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