Environmental Services 2022-2023

Join the Council Environmental Services Facebook Group! CLICK HERE!

Thank you for being a part of the effort to expand environmental awareness and activism in Richardson ISD! Below are some resources to help you serve your school community.

Protecting our environment is one of the most important things we can do for our children and future generations. We need to teach our children that their future may depend on the environmental awareness they develop now. 

How to Start Your Program

For Local PTA Chair 

• Meet with your president and principal to discuss potential goals and role of your committee.
• Determine if there is a need for school or community improvements, either inside or outdoors. If so, plan a meeting and invite speakers who can explain the problem and offer possible solutions. Find out how the PTA can help. 
• Include students in projects to supplement environmental education, to teach them to care for plant life and respect for other people’s property, to value litter-free and unpolluted surroundings, and to conserve energy and to recycle.
• Encourage campus participation in PTA and community environmental events/activities.
• Sign up for the Go Green Initiative and start implementing some of the elements.
• Encourage recycle, reduce, and reuse strategies on your campus.

Meet with school staff and parents concerning environmental needs and concerns in the school community. 

Additional Strategies: 

• Clean up of school grounds or community areas - consider creeks, rivers, and beaches.
• Improve the playground area. Additional benches, foursquare or hopscotch designs on the paved areas, and workout stations with instruction plaques are just a few ideas that can encourage more use of the playground.
• Plan and build an outdoor learning center, nature trail, butterfly or vegetable garden. This may be a long-term project that can involve the community and local business partners. The end result will be very gratifying for those involved and will be appreciated for years to come.
• A PTA might host an environmental contest, or choose to sponsor an anti-litter campaign, or donate books to the library and materials for environmental study. 

Download 21-Day Eco-Challenge Flyers 

21-Day RISD Eco-Challenge introduction here

March 21-Day RISD Eco-Challenge English here

Mario 21-Day RISD Eco-Challenge Spanish here

Earth Month ways to celebrate here

Help the Earth by writing here

Nationwide Organizations

American Lung Association www.lung.org

Children's Environmental Health Network www.cehn.com

Keep America Beautiful www.kab.org

Sierra Club www.sierraclub.org

Recycling Companies/ Organizations 

Plastics Resources www.plasticsresource.com

Waste Management www.wm.com

Educational Resources 

EPA's Enviro Kids Club- Elementary Ages www.energyhog.org

EPA's Student Center- Secondary Ages www.epa.gov/kids

Kids Gardening www.kidsgardening.com

North American Association for Environmental Education www.naaee.org

Texas Specific 

Clean Texas www.cleantexas.org

Recycling Alliance of Texas www.recycletx.com

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality www.tceq.com