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.