
youth and schools to take action.
Solutions to Waste Schools Program
For over eighteen years, the Solutions to Waste Schools Program has worked with thousands of students, teachers, and administrators throughout San Mateo County to reduce unnecessary waste. Our primary mission is for students to take action to conserve resources and help protect our environment.
The sustainability and environmental literacy educational resources and services can help educators, students, administrators and facility managers reduce waste, conserve energy and water, protect watersheds and shorelines, and increase use of alternative transportation.
Solutions to Waste Gallery
Program Lessons
Our team of educators is continuously creating and curating classroom lessons to support environmental awareness, increase environmental literacy, inspire environmental stewardship, support sustainability in action, and increase environmental awareness across traditional educational subjects. We work with the San Mateo County Office of Education to structure lessons using the 5E curriculum model and follow NGSS and Common Core Standards. Click on the links in the lesson descriptions to access student-ready printables and teacher lesson plans.
Up to three separate board style games help students learn the foundational principles of waste sorting, recycling, composting, the solid waste management systems of San Mateo County, and waste impacts to local and global natural resources. The games help empower students with information needed to better conserve resources and adopt 4R’s practices.
Game boards are laminated for long-term use and we will replace lost game pieces when needed. We deliver and have staff available to facilitate the first round of play at any time throughout the school year. Contact us to request your 4R’s games: sustainability@smcgov.org.
Young students will test their waste sorting knowledge by placing everyday school waste items into the recycling, compost or landfill categories with this cut and paste printable activity.
4R’s Sorting Activity Student – English (PDF)
Let students have a healthy competition to complete 4R’s actions at home with this printable 4R’s BINGO activity.
Students will get straight to waste fundamentals to explore properties of what makes a material “waste” and study three different disposal methods: recycle, compost, and landfill. With this information, they will understand how humans create systems to manage waste, as well critically assess their own waste related habits.
Students will learn that all materials we need or make come from natural resources found in different ecological environments. In Part 1 of this activity, students will go on a scavenger hunt to identify common household items made from natural resources. In Part 2, students will make a connection between five natural resources, the ecological source those natural resources come from, and common everyday items made from those natural resources using a cut and paste activity.
In this hands-on activity, students will examine the differences found in the structure of paper fibers from different paper and paper composite products. The lesson invites students to then start thinking about the process of making paper from recycled paper pulp.
Put your STEM hat on because it’s time to build a landfill. Modern sanitary landfills require engineers to protect groundwater, people and wildlife from the long-term effects of the accumulation of our garbage in one place. In this activity, students will learn about some of the considerations to keep in mind as they build their own model landfill with the additional challenge of protecting groundwater.

Did you know that you can request free 4R’s Game sets to keep in your classroom or library? Students love playing these games year round and teaching others how to play them. Request your free 4R’s games today!
Students love our 4R’s Board Games! Keep a free set in your classroom for rainy day play and 4R’s education throughout the school year. Choose 1, 2 or all 3! Games available are:
Game 1 – Where Does It Come From and Go?
Game 2 – The Pathway of Stuff
Game 3 – The 4R’s Board Game
Game boards are laminated for long-term use and we’ll replace lost game pieces when needed. We deliver and have staff available to facilitate the first round of play at any time throughout the school year. Contact us to request your 4R’s games: sustainability@smcgov.org.
Program Resources
In addition to facilitating lessons for students, staff can also assist you with the following:
- Walk Through Waste Assessments
- Waste Audits
- Waste Reduction Action Plans
- Waste Diversion Campus Rollouts
- Staff and Custodial Waste Diversion Training
- Green Star Schools Certification (PDF)
- School Food Share Table Program
Our free resources are often just an email away. Contact us for any of the following:
- Free Worm Bins and Backyard Composting Units
- Free Pound of Red Earthworms (for Worm Composting Bins)
- Free 4R’s Games Classroom Sets
- Loaned Classroom Re-Use Kits (Recycled Paper Making, CD Spinners, Pizza Box Solar Ovens)
- Energy Efficiency Toolkit (Available to borrow from some San Mateo County Libraries)
Check out the list below of other organizations that provide free or discounted supplies for schools: