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CSWD’s School Outreach Coordinator provides programs, activities, and field trips that meet several Next Generation Science and Common Core State education standards. We can also help Pre-School, K-12 and college students, teachers, and administrators understand how to reduce and manage waste, and why it matters. All at no cost to you!

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CSWD is Here to Help!

Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) provides a variety of services to Chittenden County schools at no cost, including programs, activities, field trips, and technical assistance. In addition, CSWD services can also be tailored to your needs. 

  • Lessons – CSWD provides lesson plans for a variety of subjects. Learn about the Three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, Compost Critters and many more!
  • Programs and activities – Choose from a number of different fun and interactive programs, ranging from “Trash Talkin’ & the 3 R’s” to “What Goes Where?” to “All About Paper” and much more. Many Next Generation Science and Common Core State Standards can be met through CSWD’s programs and activities
  • Field trips to CSWD facilities – CSWD facilities collect, process and manage thousands of tons of recyclables, compostables and trash every year. A tour of one or more of our facilities gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how we handle it all. (Ages 10+)
  • Technical assistance – CSWD provides an array of expertise, programs, and information to aid schools in improving their sustainability.

Contact Us Today!

Contact our CSWD School Outreach Coordinator

Educational Programs

    • Lessons

    The Ins and Outs of Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD)
    Who is CSWD? This overview of Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) dives into materials management in Chittenden County including how CSWD came to exist, how we manage all of your […]
    Length: 1 hour
    • Technical Assistance & Training

    Staff & Faculty Training
    Need a refresher course on what’s recyclable and compostable or how to manage hazardous materials? Our School Outreach Coordinator can provide training for school staff and faculty so they can […]
    • Technical Assistance & Training

    Recycling Bins & Compost Buckets
    Chittenden County preschools, elementary, middle, and high schools are eligible to receive recycling bins and 4-gallon food scrap collection buckets for 5$ per bin. 
    • Technical Assistance & Training

    Sustainability & Compliance Assessment Visit
    CSWD can help schools improve and ensure their current Materials Management Program is in line with state and local laws by conducting a walk-through to assess systems for managing Trash, […]
    • Programs & Activities

    Trash On the Lawn Day (waste sort)
    Trash on the Lawn Day is an engaging event to determine where your school, business, or institution excels in resource recovery (how well everyone sorts the trash, recycling, and compost) […]
    Length: 3+ hours
    • Programs & Activities

    All About CSWD
    Who is CSWD? This overview of Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) dives into materials management in Chittenden County including the who, what, where, and how CSWD can help your school, […]
    Length: 30 mins.+
    • Tours & Field Trips

    Tour the CSWD Drop-Off Center in Williston/Special Materials
    You know about the blue bin. You may know about composting. What about recycling fridges, batteries, tires, and electronics? The Drop-Off Center shows just how little we actually need to […]
    Length: 30 mins. Months, Days Available: Year ’round, weather permitting, Tues – Fri. Age requirement: 8 years old or 2nd grade (no infants carried by parents) Min/Max Group Size: 6-25 people
    • Tours & Field Trips

    Tour the CSWD Environmental Depot Hazardous Waste Facility
    How is all that unwanted hazardous skull n’ crossbones-type stuff in your kitchen, garage, and basement managed? Learn why paint and hazardous cleaners, stains and other nasty stuff can’t go […]
    Length: 45 mins. Months, Days Available: April – Nov., Thursday only Dec. – March, Tues. – Fri. Age requirement: 12 years or 6th grade (no infants carried by parents) Min/Max Group Size: 6/25
    • Tours & Field Trips

    Tour the CSWD Organics Recycling Facility (home of Green Mountain Compost)
    Where food scraps, yard trimmings, and even paper napkins become healthy soil in a matter of months. Get the dirt on a facility that incorporates leading technology gleaned from around the country—built right here in Williston.
    Length: 60 mins. Months, Days Available: Year ’round, weather permitting, M-F Min/Max Group Size: 6/25
    • Tours & Field Trips

    Tour the CSWD Materials Recycling Facility
    See the Willy Wonka factory of the recycling world. What happens to all those mandatory recyclables after they leave your blue bin? Learn about the recycling industry and watch this […]
    Length: 1 – 1.5 hours Months, Days Available: Mid-April through October, M-F Age requirement: 10 years old or 4th grade (no infants carried by parents) Min/Max Group Size: 6/25
    • Programs & Activities

    Great Locker (Desk, Classroom) Clean Out
    This is an opportunity for schools to reduce what they landfill at the end of the year, recycling more, and collect materials for the next school year that the school […]
    Length: tbd
    • Lessons

    Trash Talkin’ & the 3 R’s
    Learn about where your unwanted items go when you are finished with them and why it is important to practice all 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in this hands on […]
    Length: 30-60 mins.
    • Programs & Activities

    Story Time with Recycle Rhonda
    Invite Recycle Rhonda into your class to inspire you and your students to be better planet protectors with stories like “I can Save The Earth!” or “Miss Fox’s Class Goes […]
    Length: 30 mins.
    • Programs & Activities

    Battery Round-Up
    It’s time to clean out old batteries. It may not seem like a big deal, but old batteries can cause all sorts of problems in the landfill and recycling center […]
    Length: 1-2 hours Months, Days Available: Monday Min/Max Group Size:
    • Programs & Activities

    Reuse T-Shirt Bags
    Have you ever had that one T-shirt that is stained or maybe lost a sleeve along the way but you just can’t quite get rid of it? And how would […]
    Length: 60 mins.
    • Programs & Activities

    Reuse Paper Mâché Masks
    This fun activity practices reducing and reusing by making paper mache masks from reused cardboard and paper bags plus non-toxic paper mâché glue made from cornstarch (reducing toxicity)! After a […]
    Length: 60 mins.
    • Programs & Activities

    All About Paper
    Investigate the papermaking process while recycling your own classroom paper. Students will learn about the natural resources that are conserved when we all recycle paper before getting their hands deep […]
    Length: 60 mins.
    • Lessons

    A Future Built on Batteries
    Explore the life of batteries. Where do they come from? What happens to them when they run out of juice? Why should we care about recycling them? What can we […]
    Length: 30-60 mins.
    • Lessons

    Compost Critters
    Dig into the cyclical journey of your lunchtime leftovers from the compost bucket to nutrient rich soil and back to the food on your plate. This program incorporates biology, chemistry, […]
    Length: 30-60 mins.
    • Lessons

    Worms Alive!
    Looking for an ongoing science experiment that can demonstrate the scientific method, data collection, nutrient cycling, responsibility, and more? Vermicomposting, composting with worms, is a hands-on means to composting raw […]
    Length: 45-60 mins.
    • Lessons

    What Goes Where
    Learn what materials go in which bins to make your school champion sorters! This is a hands-on lesson and concludes with a practice activity: recycle rally. This lesson can be […]
    Length: 30 mins.

Ages/grade levels shown are the minimum appropriate for that lesson or activity. All activities can be adapted for older students.

Minimum group size for tours is six, maximum size is 25. Tours are available weekdays only. See each tour description for other important details. Grades and ages listed are the minimum for tours of that facility.

Reduce School Waste

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Educational Articles & Case Studies

School-specific waste reduction tips and strategies plus local success stories.

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Resources for Schools

Grant Funding

CSWD offers thousands of dollars in grant funding annually to help Chittenden County schools keep more resources out of the landfill and meet state and local materials management requirements.

Stickers, posters, brochures

Available to Chittenden County schools for no fee to help everyone know what goes where.

Browse our Information Library for More Resources

Upcoming Events

Here’s what we’re up to in the next few weeks. Click the button below to see all Board of Commissioners meetings, CSWD workshops and tours, and holidays that may affect our hours.

Upcoming Events

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  • Recycling andTrash bins on the green belt for collection.
  • Customer recycling electronics at the Drop-Off Center in Williston.
  • A Drop-Off Center Operator helps a customer with trash the Drop-Off Center in South Burlington.

What You Need To Know

CSWD is Here to Help!

Sign up for the School Spotlight bi-monthly e-newsletter. Your resource for school-specific sustainability and materials management news, tips, and checklists to help you stay in compliance with State requirements.