Educational Resources for Loan

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“With inspired honesty and acute observation, Alice Schertle gives us insight into the natural world and into the creative process. By showing us a piece of paper carried in a bird’s beak or floating on a lily pond, a pencil alongside a mole, a pen tucked into the overalls of a scarecrow, Wendell Minor suggests that the observing mind of the poet is everywhere. The colorful, dream-like images reflect the power and intimacy of these marvelous poems.”

"From the author of the beloved classic The Great Kapok Tree, A River Ran Wild tells a story of restoration and renewal. Learn how the modern day descendants of both the European settlers and the Nashua Indians were able to combat pollution and restore the beauty of the Nashua River and its environment."

"It's recycling day for Bob and the team. …Readers help sort out newspapers, bottles, plastic, and cans. Will Farmer Pickles's tea set end up in the wrong pile? Find out in this interactive story about teamwork."

"Crickwing never set out to be a bully - all he wanted was to create his art in peace. But it’s not easy being different. A cockroach with a cricked wing and a flair for sculpture is a ready target for the bigger creatures in the forest. Crickwing just wants to even the score... In this epic adventure beneath the foliage, Crickwing and the leafcutters go head-to-head. Then a swarm of ferocious army ants threatens, and suddenly everyone is in danger. Crickwing has to do something, but what? He’s an artist, not a fighter. What the leafcutters need is a hero. Or, maybe, a cockroach with a really clever idea..."

"Bugs are all over Dot and Jabber's meadow. Then - poof! - they're gone! Bugs can't just disappear. Can they? The mouse detectives know a big bug mystery when they see one. But is there more to this vanishing act than meets the eye?"

"An acorn. An oak tree. A mystery! Dot and Jabber are mouse detectives with a case to crack - if Jabber doesn't eat the clues first!"

"Last night the rain poured down. Today the stream is empty! Where did the water go? The mouse detectives are on the case. Clues are everywhere - but can Dot and Jabber fit them all together?"

"Let a toad cross the road. Let dangling spiders be. Watch for wriggling worms, for bashful bears, for bats who flitter wild and free. Slimy or fuzzy, gentle or fierce, each living thing has its own special place on earth. Take care. Be aware. And see our world like never before."

"What happens to your garbage after it leaves the curb?... Join garbage collectors Sam and Mabel on their route as they hoist trash cans and compact the garbage in their truck. Follow the garbage as it moves from truck to transfer station and, eventually, to a landfill site. Garbage Collectors also alerts children to their own responsibilities within their communities by looking at ways in which they can reduce or reuse their garbage."

“Explains how plants and animals of the meadow, woods, and pond grow and evolve, such as caterpillars changing into butterflies, eggs hatching into robins, and acorns becoming oaks.”

Follow Elisa, the driver of a recycling truck, as she picks up papers, glass, and metals and takes them to the recycling center where they are prepared for recycling.

"Her arrival, swift and flitting, was a surprise. She came to set up house-right on our patio! That mother hummingbird crafted a nest, laid her eggs, and waited for her babies. We watched it all-hatching, growing up, flying lessons. And we kept a journal of poems so we would always remember that remarkable spring." *Features an informative note from the author and a collection of hummingbird facts.

In 1916, a young boy living in Iowa named Tom Elson meets a stranger who has an unusual animal called a farivox, maybe the last of its kind, and Tom becomes determined to buy it.

Introduces beginning readers to concepts such as the need for clean air and water, the diversity of plants and animals, protection of the earth's resources, and human exploitation of the earth's resources.

"Lush, dreamlike illustrations by Margaret Brandt illuminate Albert's poem, I Heard the Willow Weep. Author and artist introduce young readers to some of today's most pressing environmental problems, from too much trash to the destruction of rainforests. Part One ends with quiet confidence that with determination, we can restore beauty and health to our earth. In Part Two, the author engages children by offering projects and activities that they will want to try, fascinating EcoFacts, and practical suggestions on how to take better care of our home planet"

“Presents twenty-one short poems about such insects as the inchworm, termite, cricket, and mayfly.”

"You want to save our planet. But where should you begin? Brimming with colorful photos and fascinating information, I Want to Be an Environmentalist can show you many possible paths toward you goal. Whether you… are interested in caring for an endangered species such as the manatee, analyzing the ozone layer as a scientist, or pitching in on a recycling team, this book can help you get started right now!"

"Guided by his friend the old oak tree, Johnny embarks on an imaginary journey of discovery and learns that even a small boy can help care for the world. Paulson's sensible approach to protecting the environment, as well as the exciting projects and recipe, empowers children and gives them the tools to make a difference in their world."

“A young boy paints the flight of a hummingbird as it zips, loops, and zigzags around his garden.”

“A collection of humorous poems about such reptiles and amphibians as the glass frog, the gecko, and the rattlesnake.”

"This reflective tale looks at what people have done to our planet - carries a message of hope for the future." Positive suggestions and simple solutions to our environmental problems are given.

"Three seeds grow into beautiful trees, each of which serves a different function in nature and for people."

"A poetic description of various kinds of mountains and how they are formed. Includes factual information on mountains."

"It’s summer in the city. Guess who’s up to all sorts of tricks? A squirrel, of course! He digs and eats and zips and hides, but when he sneaks inside an apartment window, it’s time for a nutty solution to get him out."

"The great oak tree: landmark of the countryside and king of the woodlands. This is the story of one oak from its beginning as an acorn over 200 years ago, and of the company of wildlife which lives in and on the tree. Written with great enthusiasm and knowledge, this… book draws the reader into a real appreciation of nature and is a wonderful introduction to ecology - the habits and way of life of all living things and their relationship to their surroundings."

“Put an ear to the ground for the clicking, popping, snapping music of this garden grown wild. In verse as witty as it is buggy, the author conducts a chirruping chorus of voices great and small. From a stinkbug trying - and failing - to hide itself to cicada’s struggle to escape its own skin and a frog’s identity crisis, here is a garden teeming with down-to-earth fun for readers of every species - no matter how many legs they have!”

"All of us are part of an old, old family. The roots of our family tree reach back millions of years to the beginning of life on earth. Open this family album and embark on an amazing journey. You'll meet some of our oldest relatives - from both the land and the sea - and discover what we inherited from each of them along the many steps of our wondrous past."

“While helping their dad run Fred’s Fall Color Tours in New England, Jim and Andy thing the tourists are pretty silly; then one night the boys experience something that makes them change their minds.”

Tells the life story of Rachel Carson, whose book Silent Spring began the U.S. environmental movement. As a child, Rachel was full of curiosity and wonder. A lover of nature and a trained scientist, she grew up to write books about her passions, one of which changed the world.

"Ever wonder what happens to all that plastic, glass, paper, aluminum, and polystyrene after the recycling truck picks it up? Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the process of recycling, complete with fascinating facts about garbage and helpful tips on ways that you can help clean up our environment!"

Picture book with simple explanations of where our trash goes; what everyday things are made of; how to recycle; and what happens to the glass, paper, metal, and plastic being recycled.

This book introduces the concepts of waste generation, recycling, and composting through photographs and large text.

Introduces the concepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle to beginning readers with the help of a song.

In a book that encourages critical thinking, Rita is a unique, thoughtful student who encourages her peers to become capable, self-confident thinkers. Follow her as she and her class fight to stop a condominium development in a treasured, biologically sensitive wetland. "Teacher's Guide to Linking Science and Literature" is included.

With the aid of full color photographs, National Geographic introduces us to an array of endangered species from around the world and efforts that are being made to save them. Understand better the impact of human settlements, farming, and littering. Learn how human protections are giving some of these animals another chance for survival.

"When new leaves sprout, buds appear, cocoons burst open, and other signs announce the coming of spring, various animals from bears to bullfrogs respond to the warmth of the season."

"Based on the story of one of the biggest wildfires of the century, The Big Burn is a portrait of a time and place and an event that altered the face of Montana and Idaho, changed the way we fight wildfires, and dramatically transformed the people on the front lines forever."

"What would you do with a bag of gold? Would you share it? Long ago in a kingdom far away, Ananda, the Buddha's principle disciple, taught a small-minded king the importance of sharing-not only one's personal wealth, but also the wealth of the earth's resources. Thirty vibrant watercolors illustrate this delightful children's tale about the importance of using nature's gifts wisely and altruistically, so that these precious resources will be available to share in the future."

"Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk… and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave…Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return."

"In the Amazon rainforest, a man is chopping down a great kapok tree. Exhausted from his labors, he puts down his ax and rests. As he sleeps, the animals who live in the tree plead with him not to destroy their world."

"The town of Beaston has rolling hills, wiggly roads, and shady trees. It has lovely houses and parks, and also fine stores and restaurants. So why does Mayor Hippo get the feeling that something's wrong? Only after he slips on a banana peel does he begin to realize that Beaston has too much trash. He calls a town meeting and suggests that all the animals go on a trash bash. The animals are enthusiastic. Not only do they find ways to get rid of trash, but they change their habits so that Beaston won't have a trash problem in the future."

"Published in 1971, and perhaps inspired by the "save our planet" mindset of the 1960s, The Lorax is an ecological warning that still rings true today amidst the dangers of clear-cutting, pollution, and disregard for the earth's environment. In The Lorax, we find what we've come to expect from the illustrious doctor: brilliantly whimsical rhymes, delightfully original creatures, and weirdly undulating illustrations. But here there is also something more--a powerful message that Seuss implores both adults and children to heed."

Eleven-year old John Farrington communicates with thousands of butterflies who send him a message for help. Following an event that changes his life, John searches for a way to protect the monarch butterfly from extinction.

"There are many stars in our galaxy. But there's only one that can wake us in the morning, play hide-and-seek behind the clouds all day, and paint pretty pictures in the evening sky…There are many stars in our galaxy. But there's only one sun!"

"Wartville is being buried in trash! There are soda bottles under the flowers, juice cans by the mailbox, and newspapers along the road. Every day the piles grow higher and higher. Then one tidy old man realizes he has the power to get rid of all the trash forever. Wartville will finally be cleaned up once and for all!"

"In the middle of a dark, lonely wasteland filled with old scrap metal lives an old man. Every night he dreams of a lively forest, full of sunshine, plants, birds, and animals. Every morning he wakes to gloom and bad weather. Then one day he comes up with an idea of how to change things. But can an idea turn rain into sunshine? Can a dream make plants grow?”

The Wumps live alone on a small, clean, pristine planet. All is well until the unheralded arrival of spaceships, filled with large colonies of Pollutians. The Pollutians set to work building a civilization on the Wumps' planet, and their world is changed forever.

From the Rookie Read-About Science series, this easy reader explains what waste is, where it goes, and what we can do to minimize waste-related problems. Large text and photographs make it an excellent early childhood book.

"Examines various methods of garbage disposal, with an emphasis on sanitary landfills but also surveying such alternatives as mass burn and recycling." Suggestions for reducing waste and a glossary of terms introduced in the book are included.

A family of dinosaurs is moved away from their happy mountain home when the land is bought by Megafright International. After being moved into an old garbage dump, the resourceful family plots to rebuild their home and ruin the hi-tech plastic mountain theme park that displaced them.

"With a simple, rhyming text and glorious color-drenched collage, Lois Ehlert…follows the life cycle of four common butterflies, from their beginnings as tiny hidden eggs and hungry caterpillars to their transformation into full-grown butterflies. Complete with butterfly and flower facts and identification tips, as well as a guide to planting a butterfly garden, this butterfly book is like no other."

"Follow the planet's most precious resource - water - on its daily journey as it dances through our world."

Students share their vision of a world without poverty, hunger, and pollution. They offer suggestions on what you can do to stay healthy, promote peace, conserve resources, protect endangered species, and teach others to do the same.

"Up north on a farm, a boy waits to welcome the bird each spring. Down south in a rain forest, a boy waits to welcome the bird each fall. The boys live thousands of miles apart. They speak different languages. Neither knows the other. Yet they are connected across continents by the small brown bird-a wood thrush that migrates between them."

Simple text and detailed illustrations explain step-by-step how rubbish is generated, collected, disposed of, reused, and recycled. We learn the hazards that littering can cause and the effects of pollution on the environment. Pollution is discussed widely along with wastewater treatment and the disposal of hazardous wastes. Concise and thorough, the book is a great tool for teaching children the results of waste.

"Shel Silverstein's masterful collection of poems and drawings is at once outrageously funny and profound." (includes such poems as "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would not Take the Garbage Out")

"Winter is coming and the land is changing. Where do the animals go? Sometimes they fly to warmer homes, sometimes they go to sleep in deep, snug nests, and sometimes they just cuddle up close with the ones they love."

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“Part of the Life Lab Curriculum series, this book features hands-on activities that help students understand ’waste.’ Includes a school litter survey, an interview with the custodian, and a lunchtime waste survey. Kids explore building models of landfills, worm composting, critters and more!”

"This lively series is packed with activities and experiments to provide a practical, hands-on approach to environmental science. In Garbage and Recycling, discover how to… sort rubbish for recycling; collect some animal decomposers; build your own compost heap… and much more!"

In a humorous question and answer format, readers learn all about the environment-preventing pollution, conserving endangered species, and reducing, reusing, and recycling. With full-color photographs, the book of riddles clearly illustrates the importance of protecting the earth and what young people can do to help.

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"Turn egg cartons into a crocodile! You can recycle everyday things, such as egg cartons from around your house and make them into fun projects."

"Turn Milk Cartons into a castle? …You can recycle everyday things, such as milk cartons… from around your house and make them into fun projects."

"Step-by-step directions for recycling paper into new handmade decorative and art sheets, using a blender and tin cans, and other materials found around the kitchen."

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"Ecology contains a captivating whole language, thematic unit about saving our earth. Its 80 exciting reproducible pages are filled with a wide variety of lesson ideas designed for use with intermediate children. …Literature Based, Across the Curriculum, Cooperative Learning."

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Alice explains the biological process of composting and its role in reducing waste. Learn the essential nutrients and microorganisms needed for composting. Compost in order to produce humus for gardens, save landfill space, and turn trash into a resource. Includes practical tips on how to reduce waste and shows how individuals, municipalities, and schoolchildren are getting involved in composting.

Watch video coverage of St. Louis implementing a yard waste recycling program. In an interview with Pierre Blaine, City of St. Louis Refuse Division Solid Waste Coordinator explains new legislation banning yard waste and teaches backyard composting to residents. Other interviews with the Refuse Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and Director of Missouri Department of Natural Resources give insight about how residents can participate in the program. The last segment introduces viewers to local recycling businesses.

At a recycling summer camp in St. Louis, children are taught how to reuse and recycle through creative art projects. Recycling Program Specialist encourages recycling, details what items are collected by the City, and explains the recycling loop. In another preview, teens take to the streets in a volunteer program to cleanup eight St. Louis neighborhoods.

“…Using a quiz show format to present common questions, it gives a detailed, yet easily understood description of the composting process and the balance between carbon and nitrogen-rich materials that provide the right conditions for the multitude of decomposers…presented in an informal, entertaining way to make learning about composting fun!”

A simple demonstration teaches how to recycle paper in order to make new paper. Easily recreated, the activity allows papermakers to experiment with different designs, colors, and textures.

“Smog, oil spills, soil contamination, DDT, the ozone layer – the technological revolution has exacted a high price; one ultimately paid by our environment. At first, it was though pollution was simply a ‘natural’ byproduct of progress. But as more of the environment faced serious contamination, corporations were held accountable for disrupting the world’s ecological structure…explores the sad truths resulting from the collision between industry and the natural order and reveals why big business was allowed to ravage the earth unchecked. Today, legal limitations and environmental activism have helped, but has progress arrived too late?”

"In any household with kids, garbage day is one of the most exciting days of the week. This is when their local hero, the garbage man, rolls up to the curb and whisks away the trash. "Where does all the garbage go?" Join garbage man Gus as he takes Billy and his Dad on this remarkable excursion."

“…profiles a new breed of environmental innovators, from students to scientists, who are taking recycling to a new level, creating new businesses and job opportunities that are both helping the environment and making money… provide real inspiration to people of all ages interested in recycling projects or businesses. It is also a reminder that part of making recycling work means buying recycled products to ‘close the loop’.”

“Environmental problems like air and water pollution, ozone depletion, and solid waste disposal are of concern to today’s kids. How did we get into-and how might we get out of-this ecological mess?…explore the positive and negative effects of modern technology and in the process, come across some kids who are making important efforts to help the Earth. Through music, news footage, and humorous sketches…explains why eco-questions don’t have easy answers…also shows how individual choices-from simple lifestyle changes to larger-scale group efforts-can have a cumulative impact on our environment. The good news…is that each person, no matter how young, can help save the planet, if we all get busy now!”

“The Tomichich family proves what one family can accomplish in the fight to save our environment. Their popular workshop on living in a ‘green’ household has helped hundreds of people put their environmental concerns into action. Their message: ‘You can do a lot when you take it a step at a time.’…step by step guide to reducing the ‘unfriendly’ impact of your household on the environment.”

"Gone Tomorrow explores the history and politics of garbage, a substance both hidden and omnipresent. In 1998 each American dumped 1600 pounds of refuse and our mountains of trash get bigger every year. To investigate the roots of our waste addicted culture, this 19 minute documentary excavates the history of garbage handling from the 1800s to the post-WWII golden era of consumption, up through the contradictions of modern day recycling. Using interviews, scenes from massive dumps, and an array of obscure and beautiful archival footage this film uncovers the links between modern industrial production, consumer culture and our disposable lifestyle. The film is serious yet wryly humorous; and while its subject is ugly, its images and rhythm foreground the unintentional beauty of production, waste, and the stories our culture tells about both. Most of all, the film attempts to answer the question: why do we produce so much trash and what can be done about it."

“The hot weather has drawn a lot of thirst customer to the Emu’s Arms bar – but it’s also attracted a lot of flies. So the barman gives Good Riddance a call. Eco arrives and releases his team of highly skilled frogs, and the chase is on. That spider in the Eco Van just might come in handy…”

“There’s a plague of rats in town, and the local milk bar is no exception. After watching the effective but highly toxic methods of the SPLAT exterminators across the road, the shopkeeper gives Eco a change to try his more eco-friendly approach.”

“The Garden of Eatin’, an organic fruit and vegetable garden, produces natural pesticide-free vegetables…just ask the snails, who are devouring everything in sight. When Eco arrives to do a bit of shopping, the garden’s owner has crossed everything off her list except the potatoes, which are safe underground. Eco needs groceries; the owner needs to get rid of the snails. As usual, Eco comes up with an ingenious solution!”

“While Eco is out, ridding the world of pests the natural way, a nest of termites are literally eating him out of house and home. This calls for the expert termite eater; the echidna, and not a moment too soon.”

An introduction to sustainable business practices shows us how entrepreneurs that adopt sound environmental practices are usually rewarded with a better bottom line. Typically industry gobbles up natural resources and returns nothing but waste. Learn what efforts are underway to change these wasteful habits and see inside the operations of corporations who have adopted environmental policies. Includes interviews with successful “green” business leaders and author Paul Hawken.

“Where will we be in fifty, sixty, or seventy years if we keep filling our landfills to overflowing?…Set in the year 2060, it gives an optimistic view of the future…we see a grandfather…relating to his granddaughter, Lucy, what life was like back in the 90s when he was a boy. As Lucy listens to stories of the ‘old days,’ she is amazed by the amount of things that used to be thrown away. She then becomes curious about what her grandfather and others did to help the environment.”

“We all throw out an average 6lbs of garbage everyday. Where does it all go? The film takes us…to the landfill with our regular garbage and to the recycling plant with our newspaper, cans, glass, and plastic. Along the way, a plastic milk jug takes a mysterious tour which has a surprising end. Children lead the way and provide the commentary, along with New Yorker cartoonist Ed Koren’s ‘furry creature’, who gives us the facts…Sesame Street songwriters provide the catchy music and lyrics that accompany the videotape.”

“…introduces the science of composting, focusing primarily on the biology of the invertebrates and microorganisms that decompose organic matter. Composting is of growing interest in schools as part of the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle environmental lesson; it serves community and school waste management needs; and while a seemingly simple process, it involves some fascinating and as yet incompletely understood interactions between biological, chemical, and physical processes. Compost is an inexpensive yet rich topic for scientific investigation and discovery…sets the scene for classroom composting.”

“…portrays the introduction and utilization of appropriate technology in a developing nation. In Ghana, thrown away materials are being recovered, and used to build and modernize their economy. Requiring only minimal financial resources, small workshops use recycled automobile parts and traditional crafting skill to produce machinery of great benefit to the local people. Grinding mills, lathes, palm oil presses and lumber saws, all made from scrap, enable the population to improve their everyday lives.”

“…presents an overview of our wasteful habits and the need for recycling, then focuses primarily on how students can be a part of the solution. Student groups describe how they set up recycling programs in their schools and communities, providing practical pointers for how other students can do the same. A fascinating look at paper recycling plant links the students’ actions with a concrete, positive outcome. The program also stresses the importance of reducing the waste we generate and buying recycled products to ‘complete the loop’. Empowering and informative program for young people.”

“…shows you how to make paper…plus three easy decorative techniques…pulp painting, sheet layering, and embossing. Answer to your questions…And projects you can make with handmade paper!”

Presents the process by which #1 PET polyethylene terephthalate is recycled into new materials.

“Homeowners, architects, builders and an inventor utilize green technologies and innovative design in the construction of new homes and the retrofitting of the old, while residents of one small town show how simple it is to incorporate composting into daily living. We journey from Plymouth, MA where a high-tech ‘house doctor’ is helping one family retrofit a drafty, energy-draining older home to Austin, TX where architects and builders are joining forces to create a series of brand new ‘green’ homes. Also on tap is a visit with ‘superwindow’ creator Roy Gordon and a tour of Long Island, whose citizens have become fanatical composters in an attempt to resolve a mounting garbage crisis.”

“Walter Cronkite presents an important film about nonpoint source pollution which, according to some estimates, accounts for 80% of America’s water contamination. Nonpoint pollution encompasses all the runoff that does not come from a single source. It’s the oil and trash from our streets, the fertilizers and pesticides from lawns and farmlands that we all contribute to. How we live our lives on the land will determine what kind of water we leave for our children.”

Actors send message of reduce, reuse, recycle through raps, songs, and skits.

“Three interracial eight to ten year olds (two girls, one boy) investigate the properties of recycling, reducing and reusing, unambiguously demonstrated in visits to a landfill, a recycling center, and a supermarket. The hazards created by the mountains of garbage are shown, waste management is described, and methods for reducing environmental endangerment are presented for five to ten year olds.”

How to set up recycling in your school or district.

“It’s time to rethink how we can reduce, substitute, or eliminate pollution in the first place. Preventing pollution helps the environment, saves resources, and can make a substantial improvement in a business’s bottom line. Various examples of effective rethinking in industry are given, from a national brewery to a hotel chain to an urban landscaping company. Then each one of us is challenged to rethink our own lifestyles and see how we can eliminate harmful chemicals and wasteful practices at home.”

Boasts the environmental benefits of photo-degradable LDPE six-pack ring packaging that uses less material, is recyclable, and degrades in UV sunlight. Rings also help reduce litter and protect wildlife from the once dangerous packaging material. Learn the benefits of closed loop recycling systems and life-cycle analysis.

Beginning with paper’s origin in Egypt and China, viewers move through time to learn how paper is made. We move from the forest to the mill and see how new and recycled paper is made in a modern paper plant.

St. Louis students discuss their recycling efforts and why it is important. Refuse Division Recycling Program displays techniques in recycling and recycled products.

Teaches people what valuable resources can be made of our trash. A step-by-step explanation of the recycling loop stresses “Buy Recycled” in order to close the loop. Helpful information includes lists of recycled products made from various materials (i.e., paper, glass, rubber) and how to shop with the 3R’s in mind.

“One day while playing, six-year old Wayan was upset to find plastic litter around his village on the island paradise of Bali. That night, the Shadow Puppet Master performed a play about a king who cleaned up his kingdom by learning to reduce, reuse and recycle garbage. Inspired by the play, Wayan leads an effort to cleanup his village by practicing the three R’s. To celebrate his success, he and his friends organized a surprise parade with decorated sticks and musical instruments they created from discarded plastic.”

“…examines some of the ways plastics can help save natural resources. Simple ways that won’t slow you down. Like recycling or buying products made from or packaged in lightweight efficient plastics.”

Old favorite Mister Rogers teaches the basics of recycling and explores the problem of landfills at maximum capacity. He demonstrates sorting, visits a recycling center and presents simple art projects reusing materials.

“The Earth is growing warmer. The ozone layer is diminishing. If unchecked, these conditions could lead to a melting of the polar ice caps which would set off an ecological chain reaction of devastating consequences…within…lies a challenge for all the world, regardless of geographic or political boundaries. Conservation is our only hope to meet this crisis head on and save the planet. Learn about our fragile planet and what can be done to save it…Go inside a glacier to study ‘ancient’ air. Learn about CFC’s, once a miracle, now a menace. Examine the environmental effects of Chernobyl, the Exxon Valdez spill, and the burning of the rain forest in the Amazon.”

"How exactly is steel made? The SMA video, The Refrigerator Door shows how old, discarded scrap becomes brand new steel, through the energy efficient electric arc furnace process -- providing thousands of jobs and cleaning up the environment! "

See the world’s largest landfill, what happens to things in a landfill, and what happens to things set out for recycling.

“A gruff, but environmentally conscious troll admonishes three children for littering a beach with plastic six-pack soda can rings. The troll suggests they visit a nearby marine hospital to see for themselves what can happen to marine life when trash enters the oceans.”

“This amusing animated film is a wonderful commentary on our throwaway society. One day as kids play in the park, a black hole as big as a basketball suddenly appears. It gobbles up everything that comes its way. All kinds of experts, armed with the latest in modern technology, fail to come up with an explanation. Then they get a great idea: What a perfect way to get rid of all our [toxic] waste! All seems fine until one day a white hole appears…and starts regurgitating the waste. Just a fanciful tale? Or does this tell us something about the misguided way we think about waste? There is no ‘away.’”

Learn about the historical and current practice of steel recycling. The uses of steel and how to recycle it are presented in this short, simple video.

Examines the role of recycling as one component of integrated solid waste management. Dispels myths about steel aerosol cans. (Teaching guide included).

“Entertaining, upbeat, and contemporary, Tina’s Journal will inspire middle and high school students to think about resource issues such as waste reduction, recycling, and closing the recycling loop. Tina, an energetic teenager, is captivated by how we can benefit from recycling and reducing waste. Her enthusiasm builds as she learns more about these issues by visiting a recycling processing facility, a landfill, and San Francisco stores and institutions that have incorporated waste reduction, reuse, and recycling into their daily operations. As she learns, Tina also educates her parents and friends at school. Her infectious enthusiasm will help teenagers make a difference by practicing the three R’s: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCE.”

“An entertaining introduction for elementary-age children to the need for recycling. When Tinka discovers that not all trash needs to be thrown away, she begins to collect her family’s cans, bottles, and newspapers. On her first visit to the local recycling center she learns how recycling can help preserve the environment. Inspired to do something more she convinces other kids in the neighborhood to join her in a recycling campaign. Tinka’s infectious energy eventually persuades her mother and other adults to take part as well.”

Local news coverage of Roger Chadwick, Deputy Refuse Commissioner, inspecting yard waste dumpsters for illegal dumping. Residents who place trash in the yard waste containers are sought and issued warnings or fines. Refuse employee and broadcaster explain that the yard waste recycling program is important to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills.

A music video portraying musical icons such as B.B. King and Queen Latifah introduces the issue of recycling. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink concepts are performed in short skits. Facts and statistics tell the benefits of recycling and the importance of conserving natural resources.

“Most people would say they feel safest in the comfort of their own homes…but toxicologists have found that the levels of most indoor air pollutants exceed those found outdoors –even in our most polluted cities. We know very little about the long term effects of our indoor exposure to cleaning products, pesticides, paint dust, lead particles in the carpet, or even plastic toys…provides an informational wake-up call in an entertaining manner, makes the sources of indoor pollution easy to understand, and provides tips for safer practices, materials, and cleaning agents.”

“Most of us put our garbage out at the curb and never give it another thought. Waste gives it another thought, viewing common and uncommon examples of the generation, disposal, and reuse of a variety of wastes in a surprising introduction to a subject that, although vast and complex, remains largely unexplored.”

"Jump into the driver's seat of all the haulers, grinders, dozers, loaders and compactors used at a state-of-the art waste handling facility. Kids and grown-ups alike will become excited about recycling when they see 'Where the Garbage Goes!'"

“…examine some of the solid waste solutions that are available and already in use…explores the sources of the problem, examines some of our preconceptions about solid waste-particularly plastics-and looks for ways to help preserve our fragile environment.”

Music Video and Public Service Announcements. All-star cast act as puppet voices in four short videos about recycling and the environment.

Animates recyclable products to show the process of going from the store shelf to home to recycling bin to recycling plant to store shelf again.

COPIES

“…Model Cities Demonstration program used geographically and demographically diverse communities as testing ground for collection equipment and strategies ranging from source separation to commingling, co-collection to drop-offs…highlights the design and major findings of six Model Cities Demonstration Programs.”

Public Service Announcements teach that steel is totally recyclable. A recycled, reusable, recyclable message tells why to recycle steel, what a steel can is, and how recycled steel can be used.

“The stress on an increasingly fragile environment could be extraordinary. Competition between rich and poor nations would grow increasingly tense. Overpopulation and its rampant, unchecked growth is perhaps the greatest threat to our survival. It’s a universal problem. And it’s closer to home than you know…CNN traveled to thirteen countries for a powerful look at the personal, national and global efforts to diffuse an explosive crisis before it’s too late.”

“…chronicles the heroic efforts of river, bay and sounds keepers from Alaska to North Carolina. Their hands-on, ‘blue-collar environmentalism’ has become a model for ecosystem protection - people defending the place in which they live.”

Yard waste recycling.