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Opportunities for PreK–12 Schools

Student and two teachers present on toxin labelingThe Healthy Hallways Green School Program is a program developed in 2014 with funding from the St. Louis County Department of Health utilizing County landfill surcharge funds. Program goals included promoting the awareness of household hazardous waste (hhw) materials, health, and environmental impacts while giving students the tools they need to reduce and limit the health and environmental impacts of these products. The program also sought to promote knowledge of green cleaning policies for schools and safer alternatives for the home.

Participating Students:

  • Developed a basic understanding of hhw materials, and the health and the environmental impacts of these products.
  • Learned to identify hhw products in the home, school or at the store.
  • Worked together to address hazardous products and green cleaning policies at their school through a hands-on action project and community presentation.

Healthy Hallways classrooms received:

  • Four classroom visits by EarthWays Center staff delivering a series of interactive lessons on the topic of household hazardous waste.
  • Support for one class trip, including bus costs, to the St. Louis Household Hazardous Waste Facility for guided tour and discussion.
  • Free Green Cleaner Kit and additional resources for all participating students.

Healthy Hallways Lessons

First Visit: What's the Problem?
During this visit students will get introduced to the Healthy Hallways program and the topic of household hazardous waste. Students will gain basic knowledge about household hazardous waste products and learn how reading labels can help protect human health and the environment.

Second Visit: What Are the Health and Environmental Impacts of HHW Materials?
During the second visit to the Healthy Hallways Classroom, students will begin to think about the impacts hhw products have on human health and the environment. A simulated model of the environment and an interactive activity, will help students learn the importance of proper safety, handling and disposal methods of hhw materials.

Third Visit: What Can We Do?
During the third Healthy Hallways visit, students will assess the school’s cleaning and procurement policies for hhw materials and learn about commercial scale “green” cleaning. Students will explore different certification programs available for green cleaners and begin to work on student presentations to communicate what they’ve learned.

Fourth Visit: Field Trip to St. Louis Household Hazardous Waste Collection Site
During this fourth session of the Healthy Hallways program students will take a field trip to the St. Louis Household Hazardous Waste Collection Site to learn more about hhw issues in their area, further explore proper safety and disposal methods and gain first-hand knowledge on how a collection facility operates.

Fifth Visit: Student Presentation
In this final session, students will formally present their research and findings to the school community. Audience may include peers, parents and/or school board members.

 

St. Louis County Health Go Green logo

The Healthy Hallways program was developed by the EarthWays Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden with funding from the St. Louis County Department of Health utilizing County landfill surcharge funds.