Resources
The Department of Environmental Services’ (DES) School Outreach Committee has created some great resources on wastewater, solid waste and recycling, and environmental pollution for both educators and students to utilize through virtual and/or experiential learning.
Resources Packet
Our resource packet includes five activities that align with the science and practices DES uses and promotes every day. It can be utilized in the classroom or for various at-home activities.
Recycling Lesson Plans
Our partners at Republic Services, the City-Parish’s recycling contractor, have developed a number of lesson plans to help educators teach students about recycling. They also offer supporting materials specifically focused on recycling, including activities, videos, student certificates, and handouts for students to bring home. The lessons and resources are free to use, based on grade level, and can be taught as a unit or individually.
Carbon Footprint Calculator Worksheet
The Carbon Footprint Calculator Worksheet is designed to accompany the Session 5: Carbon Footprint Calculator virtual classroom activity. It can be used to track student results and potential adjustments.
Virtual Classroom Activities
Our DES School Outreach Committee has been hard at work during the COVID-19 pandemic to develop fun, engaging virtual resources that schools, teachers, and students can use in their daily school activities. Check out the videos our team has prepared and feel free to use them as you see fit to help in your daily school and learning activities.
Session 1: A Municipal Overview
DES Wastewater Treatment Lab Supervisor Michael Lowe discusses our wastewater treatment system, the role individuals play in preventing clogs to both the system and our homes, and the measures we take to ensure the water being discharged into the Mississippi River is clean. Then, City-Parish Recycling Manager Lisa Mahoney joins to provide an overview of our solid waste services and how recycling benefits the community and our environment.
Session 2: Fats, Oils & Grease Activity
DES Environmental Division team members Sarah Boudreaux and Albert de la Cruz provide a hands-on demonstration of how common household materials like fats, oils, and grease (FOG) can cause massive clogs in our sewer pipes, and how important it is to prevent these materials from entering our East Baton Rouge Parish sewer system.
Session 3: Water Filtration Activity
DES Wastewater Treatment Lab Supervisor Michael Lowe introduces students to the concepts of water pollution, as well as the importance of wastewater treatment and access to clean water, through a hands-on water filtration experiment.
Session 4: Recycling Right in EBR
City-Parish Recycling Manager Lisa Mahoney talks about how to “recycle right” in East Baton Rouge Parish, highlighting the importance of how recycling incorrectly can cause contamination and extreme problems for our local environment and recycling system.
Session 5: Carbon Footprint Calculator
DES Wastewater Treatment Lab Supervisor Michael Lowe shares information on how our lifestyle choices contribute to carbon pollution and explains how every individual has a unique carbon footprint based on the total amount of resources we consume. Students will learn how to calculate their carbon footprint, how it compares to their peers, and potential lifestyle adjustments to reduce their individual carbon output.