Planeteer Club Ac/vity, cont`d

Welcome to the Planeteers’ Guidebook! Like Captain Planet and the Planeteers in every cartoon episode, you are about to go on an adventure! While on this journey you will learn, explore, and create sustainability and conserva/on programs for your school. Sustainability Means the ‘ability’ to ‘sustain’ or conFnue something forever. For example, bamboo is a great material for building because when it is cut, it immediately begins to regrow. In other words, unlike a tree that has to be replanted, a bamboo plant restores itself. Conserva/on Means to preserve, guard, protect and use natural resources (like water, energy, air and recycled materials) wisely. For instance, cardboard can be recycled into new cardboard. This conserves trees! Rainwater can be saved and used to irrigate gardens. This conserves drinking water! Keep in mind, this just the beginning. There will be a con/nuous upda/ng of ideas and sugges/ons as the Planeteer Clubs develop their projects and share them through reports at Planeteer Headquarters. As more and more Clubs are formed, there will be an outpouring of ideas you may want to access on the website. We hope you will contribute your own! Take AcFon! Captain Planet and the Planeteers was a Saturday morning cartoon in the 1990’s that ran for many years in over 100 countries around the globe. In the cartoon, there are five Planeteer characters from five different conFnents, and they represent the five basic elements of life: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth and Heart. They each wear a power ring that can summon the help of their element when it is needed. Like you, the Planeteers see examples everywhere of people not conserving (or using resources wisely). People being wasteful and not recycling. People generally not treaFng the planet and its inhabitants with the respect they deserve. Earn Your Planeteer Club Patch and Power Ring! Planeteers see many opportuniFes to make their schools, homes and communiFes a healthier and more sustainable place to live. They know that the power is theirs to create change. Using the strength of their friendship and great ideas, they create soluFons! SomeFmes, if things get too tough, they use the power of their rings to call Captain Planet, the world’s first eco-­‐superhero, to help them. As a Planeteer Club, you will have the special right to watch episodes of Captain Planet and the Planeteers to get you inspired for the important work you are about to do. As you complete each sec/on and report back to Planeteer Headquarters, you will earn a piece of the Planeteer Club Patch (see next page). Planeteer Club Patch AYer you sign up your Club, complete the Heart secFon in this Guidebook, and report back -­‐ Club members will receive the center patch that says “Planeteer Clubs” as well as the Heart patch. AYer your Club completes each element secFon (Earth, Fire, Water or Wind) and sends its report to Planeteer Headquarters, you will receive a new secFon of the patch. Keep working as an Eco-­‐Superhero unFl you have earned all five of the Planeteer Club patches!! Once your patch is complete, each Club member will receive a Planeteer Power Ring! Get Ready, Get Set, Go! How to become an Eco-­‐Superhero 1.  Recruit a team of Eco Superheroes. Be inclusive! Your club should include boys and girls from different grade levels and all cultures and races. Don’t forget that you need to have adults who will help and sponsor your club. 2. Register your Club. Have your adult sponsor go to www.captainplaneadn.org/planeteers to sign up your club members and your Planeteer Club. AYer registraFon is complete, you can click on cartoon episodes of Captain Planet and the Planeteers on your home or school computers to watch episodes and learn more about these special eco-­‐superheroes! 3. Create a Plan. Read through this Planeteer Club Guidebook for a list of acFviFes and projects that might interest you. Which element does your club want to learn about first – Earth, Fire, Water or Wind? Choose a project your club can do that will help your school and community. Get Ready, Get Set, Go! 4.  Do Your Project! In your guidebook, look for this symbol -­‐ it means you can raise money for your club if you do that project. Be creaFve! How else can you raise money? If your project will cost you money, you might be eligible for a special Planeteer Club grant. This grant can help make your club project more successful and provide you with the tools you need. For instance, if you are planFng a school garden, you may need money for gardening tools, seeds, or starter plants. Planeteer Club grants may be able to help you. 5.  Report Back to Planeteer Club Headquarters. CongratulaFons, you have earned your first patch! Every Fme you complete an ‘AcFon’, be sure to sign back in to www.captainplaneadn.org/planeteers and fill out the report on the great work you are doing, post pictures, and share ideas! The Power is Yours! Take Ac(on #1 Classroom Leadership Create It. Let’s get the students in your school to be sustainability superheroes! Planeteer Club members will create a “Planeteer ConservaFon Plan” for each classroom (an example is on the next page). Talk to your Principal about this plan to help classrooms conserve energy and beeer parFcipate in the recycling program. First, make a presentaFon at a teachers meeFng. Let your teachers know that your club wants to add the job of “ConservaFon Leader” to the list of jobs students have each week (i.e. line leader, paper passer, etc.). Ask the teachers if your club members may visit each classroom to kick off the program. Programs like this always work best if you create a liele compeFFon between classrooms. What great ideas do you have to create a compeFFon in your school? Where can you post the compeFFon results where everyone can see them? What great ideas do you have to keep the compeFFon going and kids engaged? Can you make aYernoon or morning announcements? Does your school have a newsleeer? Can you place arFcles in the school or neighborhood newspaper? Can you make an announcement on your in-­‐
school television channel? Teach It! To kick off the program, members from the Planeteer Club should visit each classroom and teach the students about what it means to be the “ConservaFon Leader” for a week. ü  Show them the Planeteer ConservaFon Plan and explain the ‘check off’ list that THEIR classroom will parFcipate in. ü  Hang their ConservaFon Plan up in the classroom. ü  Invite the students to ‘record’ on their classroom calendar every Fme they follow the plan for the day. ü  At the end of each month, Planeteer Club members should tally the number of days that each classroom parFcipated and share the informaFon with your school. ü  Earn your Heart Patch! Report back at www.captainplaneadn.org/planeteers !"#$$%&&'()*$+#,-#.,",+/(0"#-(
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* This list of acFviFes can be changed depending on each School’s rouFne. Take Ac/on #2 Recycling Program Understand It. This secFon will help Planeteers learn ways to improve recycling in and around the school building. By compleFng this secFon, students will learn about the types of recycling they should try, including: •  White Paper •  Colored Paper •  Newspaper & Magazines •  Books •  Cardboard •  PlasFcs •  Metals DISCUSSION: Can you name different ways recycled products are reused? How many products can you name that are made from recycled materials? =
PlasFc Boeles Clothing Discussion Answer Key -­‐ Recycling Earth (Recycling) -­‐ Can you name different ways recycled products are reused? How many products can you name that have recycled content: Paved roads =
recycled car Fres Purses & Bags =
recycled bike Fres Playgrounds
=
recycled car & bike Fres Toilet, Fssue and computer paper = recycled paper Kiey lieer, sheetrock, countertops
=
recycled newspaper ConstrucFon paper, egg cartons =
recycled newspaper Clothing, fleece, jacket stuffing =
recycled plasFc boeles PlasFc beverage boeles =
recycled plasFc boeles PlasFc lumber, play sets =
recycled milk jugs Carpet
=
recycled plasFc boeles Composite wood decking =
recycled plasFc bags Buckets, frisbees, stadium seats =
recycled detergent boeles Soda Cans =
recycled aluminum Cars =
recycled steel Car parts, appliances, bikes =
recycled metal food cans Wind Turbine Blades =
recycled glass Fiberglass InsulaFon =
recycled glass Cement =
recycled glass Measure It. Planeteers will learn about the recycling program in their school and establish programs that can improve student and teacher parFcipaFon. As you complete this secFon, it may be useful to interview the custodian, cafeteria workers, and administraFve staff to learn how they recycle. It may also be important to meet with the recycling coordinator working in your school as a partner of the local “Keep America BeauFful”. Planeteers will survey and collect data on the recycling that is currently happening in your school to beeer understand how your school recycles. Figure out how to improve parFcipaFon by students and teachers. Plants grow best in ‘compost’ which comes from recycled food! RECYCLING FUN FACT: Did you know that recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours. This is the same as energy produced from a half gallon of gasoline! Did you Know? Here are some great facts about recycling you can share with other students! » The amount of wood and paper we throw away each year is enough to heat 50,000,000 homes for 20 years. » American businesses generate enough paper waste to circle the globe 40 /mes every day. » Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees and 6 barrels of oil. » Over 85% of all products sold in the United States are packed in cardboard. It takes only 75% of the energy to make recycled cardboard as it does to manufacture new cardboard. » Only 3 to 5 percent of plas/c is recycled in America. Much of the rest goes to landfills and takes 200 – 400 years to decompose. » In 2008, over 4 billion pounds of plas/cs were recycled in the U.S., saving enough energy to heat over 2.1 million homes. » Americans throw away enough aluminum cans to rebuild our enFre fleet of commercial airplanes every three months. » Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to produce aluminum from raw materials. » Habitat for Humanity could have built 9,933 homes last year with the money people wasted from throwing away aluminum cans. » Over 12 million /res per year are mixed with highway asphalt for road construcFon. However, over 180 million /res are s/ll thrown away each year at landfills. Planeteer Club Ac/vity – Learning Worksheet The quesFons in this secFon ask about recycling programs at your school. To answer all these quesFons, you may need the assistance of a teacher, the school custodian, cafeteria workers, or other adults who work at the school. See how many adults you can get to help! 1. How ocen does your school have recycling picked up onsite? 2. Does your school collect white paper separately from all other recycling items (plas/cs, metals, cardboard, etc.)? 3. Where is recycling collected in your school? (check all that apply) ☐ Classrooms ☐ Cafeteria ☐ Admin Office ☐ Copy Room ☐ Teacher’s Lounge ☐ Playing Fields ☐ Janitorial Closets ☐ Next to Vending Machines
4.  Do your cafeteria workers recycle the large metal food cans they use in kitchen prepara/on work?
Yes No 5. Interview your fellow students. How many of them say that they ac/vely recycle whenever they have the opportunity? Percentage of female students Percentage of male students Average
Act On It! Using the informaFon just gathered, get the students in your school busy recycling at school and at home! Here are just some ideas you can use to talk to your friends about recycling. Get crea/ve – what ideas do YOU have? 1. 
2. 
3. 
Create posters to encourage recycling whenever possible. Use some of the “Did You Knows” we’ve provided and post them over all recycling bins so students know that EVERY acFon makes a difference. Help your school install white paper recycling bins in ALL classrooms and your administraFve office; and recycling collecFon staFons in the cafeteria and teachers lounges. Add recycling bins at your sports fields. Do your research: 1.  Learn about all the products that are made from recycled materials. 2.  Learn about how dangerous plasFcs are to our oceans. 3.  Learn about how landfills can hurt our communiFes. Write a play, a book or a report you can share with your classmates about what you have learned! 4. 
5. 
Earn money for your Club! Host a recycling drive at your school. 1.  Collect metal and aluminum cans to sell to a scrap metal yard. 2.  Collect cardboard, newspaper and white paper to sell to a local recycler. 3.  Organize a river or park clean up – GRANT OPPORTUNITY. Earn your Earth Patch! Report back at www.captainplaneadn.org/planeteers Take Ac/on #3 Energy Conserva/on Understand It. Planeteers will learn how to beeer use energy in and around the school building and teach students how they can beeer conserve energy. Here are some ways energy is used in your school: •  LighFng •  Computers •  Smart Boards DISCUSSION: •  Audio Visual Equipment How is energy used in •  HeaFng & Cooling your home? •  Cafeteria Uses •  Cleaning the School NEED A NEW PICTURE Measure It. Planeteers will survey and collect data on all of the energy using devices throughout the school including light fixtures, HVAC, computers, classroom equipment, etc. Ask your Principal to help you collect informaFon on today’s energy use so that you can compare it to previous years to see if your energy conservaFon program is working! Planeteers will also walk around the school campus, recording observaFons about the energy that is used outdoors to light landscaping, playgrounds or fields. ENERGY FUN FACT: The first recorded use of wind power and hydro power was over 2,500 years ago – when Egyp/ans used windmills and water wheels to grind grain! Planeteer Club Ac/vity – Learning Worksheet The quesFons in this secFon ask about energy use at your school. To answer all these quesFons, you may need the assistance of a teacher, the school custodian or facility manager, the cafeteria worker, or other adults who work at the school. See how many adults you can get to help! 1. What is the source of your school’s energy supply? (name of u/lity company who supplies your power) 2. According to your school’s energy bills, how much energy has your school used over the past 12 months? 3. How much did your school pay in total for energy last year? 4. How much does your local energy company charge per unit of energy? $ per . 5. Do a lihle research now. Where does your u/lity company get its energy? (check all that apply) ☐ Coal ☐ Natural Gas ☐ Nuclear ☐ Solar ☐ Geothermal ☐ Biomass ☐ Wind ☐ Hydropower Planeteer Club Ac/vity, cont’d 6. 
7. 
8. 
Does your school take advantage of natural light to save energy?
In cafeteria or gym? (circle one) Yes No In classrooms?
(circle one) Yes No In hallways or foyer?
(circle one) Yes No Does your school use high efficiency fluorescents? Yes No Does your school use /ming clocks (controls), occupancy sensors, or dimming controls to reduce light use? Yes No 9. Does your school use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) instead of standard incandescent ‘screw in’ light bulbs? Yes No 10. Does your school ensure teachers, students, and custodians turn off the lights when they leave a room? Yes No 11.  Does your school set its hea/ng thermostat to maintain 70°F or lower?
Yes No 12.  Does your school set air condi/oning (A/C) for 73°F -­‐ 75°F and even higher during unoccupied hours?
Yes No 13.  Does your school inspect & clean hea/ng and cooling coils on a regular schedule? Yes No 14.  Does your school have computers and other electronic devices plugged into power strips that are turned off at the end of the day? Yes No 15.  Does your school control hea/ng & cooling from a central computer to match the occupancy schedule? Yes No 16.  Does your school equip all vending machines with energy misers? Yes No Observe It. Planeteers will document general observaFons about how the students, teachers, and other staff use energy in the building. From these observaFons, they will determine ways in which they can create a Student Conserva/on Program to save energy at their school. 1.  Do you noFce students leaving lights on when they leave a room? 2. 
Does your school post “lights off” posters and reminders throughout the school? 3. 
Do you ever drive by your school at night and noFce all the lights are on? 4. 
Does your school keep doors and windows closed during heaFng and cooling seasons? 5. 
Does your school turn off computers when not in use? 6. 
Does your school post “computers off” reminders in all classes and library? 7. 
Do your classrooms have lots of extra area & desk lamps? If yes, are they using compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs)? CONSERVATION FACT: Computers, televisions, VCRs, and other equipment all con/nue to draw energy when they are turned off. That is why it is important to plug them into power strips and turn those off too! Act On It! Let’s get the students in your school ready to change the way they use energy! Here are just some ideas you can use to talk to your friends about energy conservaFon. Get crea/ve – what ideas do YOU have? 1.  Create posters that teach kids how to conserve energy. Make your school a “lights off” school when a room is not in use. Now, take that informaFon home and teach your parents! 2.  Learn about renewable energy resources (like solar, wind and biomass) and invesFgate ways you can have this kind of energy powering your school. 3.  Alert your custodian or building engineer to any rooms where you regularly see lights leY on or electronic equipment leY plugged in and on. 4. 
5. 
6. 
Put together a solar car derby race for your school. Put up “lights off” and “computers off” reminders around the school. Work with your teacher to write a leeer to your school Superintendent. Let them know that you are working on a program to teach students in your school to save energy. Ask your Superintendent to provide you with a ‘baseline energy use’ for how much your energy bills normally are. Ask that your school receive 10% of whatever money you save in energy for your Planeteer Club acFviFes! 7.  Earn your Fire Patch! Report back at www.captainplaneadn.org/planeteers Take Ac/on! Water Conserva/on Ac/on #4 Understand It. This secFon is intended to help Planeteers learn how water is used in and around the school building, including: •  Washing Hands •  Drinking •  Watering Landscape •  Flushing Toilets •  Cafeteria Uses (cooking, cleaning, etc.) •  Cleaning the School DISCUSSION: Can you name all the ways water is at home? Measure It. Planeteers will answer general quesFons about water use in the enFre building and calculate the amount of water used by each student and staff person each day. As they complete this secFon, it may be useful for students to interview the custodian, cafeteria workers, and administraFve staff. Planeteers will survey and collect data on all of the water using devices throughout the school including faucets, toilets, urinals, and uFlity sinks. Planeteers will walk around the school campus, recording observaFons about the water that is used outdoors to water landscaping, playgrounds or fields. WATER FUN FACT: Did you know that 75% of the Earth’s surface is water? Even so, only 3% of that water is fresh water that we can use to drink, cook, wash, irrigate crops, and everything else for which we use water. With billions of people on Earth all needing that fresh water, it is very important that we conserve water, keep it clean, and use it wisely. That way, there will be enough for everyone! Planeteer Club Ac/vity – Learning Worksheet The quesFons in this secFon ask about water use at your school. To answer all these quesFons, you may need the assistance of a teacher, the school custodian or facility manager, the cafeteria worker, or other adults who work at the school. See how many adults you can get to help! 1. What is the source of your school’s water supply? (name of aquifer, lake, river, reservoir, etc.) 2. According to your school’s water bills, how many gallons of water has your school used over the past 12 months? 3. How much did your school pay in total for water last year? 4. How much does your local water company charge per unit of water? $ per . 5. Complete the following about the number of students & staff in your school. Number of female students Female staff Number of male students
Male staff Total Number of Students & Staff
Planeteer Club Ac/vity, cont’d 6. 
7. 
8. 
How many months during the year you are in school? How many gallons of water were used during those months? How many gallons of water were used by each person during the school year? (Total gallons used divided by Total number of students & staff) How many bathrooms does your school have?
Count the total number of toilets.
Are they low flow toilets? (circle one) 9. Count the total number of urinals.
Are they low flow urinals? (circle one) Are they waterless urinals? (circle one) 10.  Count the total number of sinks. Do they have low-­‐flow aerators? (circle one) Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes CONSERVATION FACT: A low-­‐flow toilet can save almost 2 gallons of water every /me you flush! A low-­‐flow aerator on your sink faucet costs only $1.00 and uses air to displace water. That saves almost 60% of the water that usually comes out of the sink faucet when you turn it on! No Observe It. Planeteers will document general observaFons about how the students, teachers, and other staff use the water in the building. From these observaFons, they will determine ways in which they can create a Student Conserva/on Program to save water at their school. 1.  Do you noFce students leaving water running in the bathroom while they are soaping their hands? 2.  Do you noFce students leaving the water running on the drinking fountain while they are talking to friends or stopping to take a breath? 3.  Do you noFce faucets, drinking fountain, or toilets that leak? 4.  Does your school have a rainwater collecFon system (such as rain barrels) to use for irrigaFon & watering plants? 5.  Look at the plants around your school. Does your school use naFve or low-­‐
water-­‐use plants (xeriscaping)? 6.  Do you see wet or soggy patches in the grass, in flower beds, or other landscaped areas? If yes, take pictures or sketch the area and note the locaFon. It could mean that there is a leak! 7.  Do you see puddles or standing water on sidewalks or roads that are a result of sprinkler / irrigaFon run off? If yes, take pictures or sketch the area and note the locaFon. 8.  Does you school use mulch around the planFngs to help reduce the need to water plants as oYen? Act On It! Let’s get the students in your school engaged to change the way they use water! Here are just some ideas you can use to talk to your friends about water conservaFon. Get crea/ve – what ideas do YOU have? 1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
Create posters that teach kids how to conserve water and display them in your school. Post signs near all the sinks reminding students to turn off the water when they are soaping up and near the drinking fountains reminding them not to waste water. Write a play or a song that you can perform for other students to teach them about saving water in school and at home. Alert your custodian or building engineer to any leaky faucets, drinking fountain or toilets. Find out if your school uses low-­‐flow or water-­‐reducing devices on faucets and toilets. If your school doesn’t use these devices, talk to the person in charge and explain why its important to save water. Hold a fundraiser with the PTA to install aerators on all faucets! Earn your Water Patch! Report back at www.captainplaneadn.org/planeteers Take Ac/on! Clean Air School Program Ac/on #5 Clean Air Campaign No Idle Zones Earn this sign for your school by compleFng the following tool-­‐kit! Mother’s & Others Flag Warning Program PARTNERS ACTION PLAN FOR CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS: Your goal is to help student teams establish, promote and implement their school’s Planteer Club. Our key partners to launch these clubs are the Girl Scout Troops in your school. Some simple steps for ge{ng started are as follows: 1)  Meet with the Girl Scout Troop Leader(s) who are parFcipaFng in this program. At this meeFng you will want to accomplish the following: ü  Establish which kick off meeFng you will aeend to iniFate the program out to the Girl Scouts. ü  Establish how regularly you will meet with the Planeteer Club in order to roll out the program. 2)  Meet with the school principal to explain the program and your role in the implementaFon process. 3)  Meet with the PTA leadership to explain the program and your role in the implementaFon process. 4)  Establish a Teacher Sponsor for the aYer-­‐school Planeteer Club. 5)  Work with your Girl Scout Troop to promote the Planeteer Club to the school student body in order to get other students to join the Club. ü  Have the girls create posters announcing the recruitment period. ü  Have the girls ask for announcements to be made by the administrator. ü  Have the girls begin recruiFng their friends from class. 6)  Schedule and Lead the kick off training program to begin each of the five (5) major AcFons (Heart, Fire [Energy], Earth [Recycling], Water and Wind [Air]). 7)  Meet with Planeteer Club periodically during the year to discuss progress, track goals, and adjust team pracFces to improve performance.