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Tania Schusler
CEIRP Project

During the fall of 2002 and into the spring of 2003, I am working with Linda Tompkins and her three Living Environment (regents biology) classes at Mynderse Academy in Seneca Falls, New York. Each year Linda engages her students in an environmental research project through which they can contribute to their community. This year, students are investigating how Seneca Meadows, Inc. landfill affects their community and others beyond it. The students are gathering information that they will share with the public to help inform deliberations about the landfill's possible expansion. On November 15, 2002, students took a field trip to learn more about the landfill's operations first hand. They are currently researching the environmental and economic impacts of landfills as well as alternatives to landfill disposal of solid waste; inviting guest speakers to the classroom to educate themselves further; organizing a community panel discussion on the possible expansion of Seneca Meadows; preparing to interview community members about their attitudes toward the landfill; and developing posters and a Powerpoint presentation to share their findings with members of the community.


I am also assisting Nicole Benenati, advisor for Ithaca High School's Environmental Action Club. The club includes about a dozen students from all grades. Club members are involved in a variety of projects, such as: developing a proposal to pilot composting of food scraps in the cafeteria kitchen; coordinating guest speakers on environmental topics to raise students' awareness of environmental issues; maintaining the school garden; encouraging local hotels to undertake resource conservation measures by giving multiple-night guests the option of not washing sheets and towels every day; and organizing a penny fundraising campaign for habitat protection in conjunction with Earth Day.

 

 

 

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