SR 01-14-2020 13C 13.C
January 14, 2020
Council Meeting: January 14, 2020 Santa Monica, California
1 of 1
CITY CLERK’S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk, Records & Elections Services
Department
Date: January 14, 2020
13.C Request of Mayor Pro Tempore O’Day and Councilmember Winterer that
the Council allocate $30,000 of Council discretionary funds to Grades of
Green to expand their Water and Waste Campaigns and offer their new
Climate campaign to all interested student teams in the City of Santa
Monica. The funds will also allow Grades of Green to continue working with
the Sustainability Coordinator at SMMUSD, to develop an innovative
district wide plan to engage students in every school in a Grades of Green
Program and/or Campaign.
December
10,
2019
Dear
Terry
and
Ted,
Thank
you
for
your
support
and
dedication
to
improving
the
environment
and
believing
in
the
youth
to
lead
a
sustainable
future
for
generations
to
come.
We
are
so
appreciative
of
your
past
funding
and
look
forward
to
working
together
again
this
year
to
make
the
City
of
Santa
Monica
a
healthier
environment
for
all!
Grades
of
Green
is
excited
to
expand
our
partnership
focused
on
educating,
inspiring
and
empowering
kids
to
care
for
the
environment
through
our
project-‐‑based
campaigns
this
year
focusing
on
plastic
reduction
and
as
well
as
implementing
a
new
Climate
Campaign.
We
were
proud
to
have
been
awarded
the
Los
Angeles
County
2019
Green
Leadership
Award
for
our
Fall
2018
Water
Campaign
and
with
your
continued
funding
can
expand
our
award-‐‑winning
programs
districtwide,
as
well
as
offer
the
new
innovative
(and
hopefully
award
winning)
climate
campaign.
Students
are
committed
to
proactively
addressing
climate
change
and
supporting
climate
action.
Through
a
new
and
innovative
Grades
of
Green
Climate
Campaign
we
can
empower
students
to
explore
various
energy
options
and
engage
their
community
in
creating
healthier
communities
with
better
air
quality.
Grades
of
Green
is
requesting
$30,000
to
expand
the
Water
and
Waste
Campaigns-‐‑reduce
plastics
and
offer
the
new
Climate
campaign
to
all
interested
student
teams
in
the
City
of
Santa
Monica,
making
measurable
and
long-‐‑lasting
impacts
while
reaching
over
thousands
of
community
members
in
one
year.
These
funds
will
also
allow
Grades
of
Green
to
continue
working
with
Caroline
Costner,
Sustainability
Coordinator
at
the
school
district,
to
develop
an
innovative
district
wide
plan
to
engage
students
in
every
school
in
a
Grades
of
Green
program
and/or
Campaign
leading
to
measurable,
local
and
long-‐‑lasting
environmental
change
in
schools
and
the
entire
City
of
Santa
Monica.
Through
your
generous
support,
Grades
of
Green
would
be
able
to
ensure
Grades
of
Green’s
Campaigns
are
free
of
charge
for
students
who
participate
in
the
program.
Thank
you
for
considering
this
opportunity.
We
look
forward
to
partnering
with
you
to
create
and
implement
a
Climate
Campaign
in
The
City
of
Santa
Monica
where
students
are
inspired
and
empowered
to
care
for
the
environment
and
to
create
healthier
air
quality.
Kim
Siehl
Kim
Siehl
Executive
Director
kims@gradesofgreen.org
BACKGROUND
Grades of Green began at Grandview Elementary School in 2009 through a group of forward-‐thinking mothers
who wanted to mentor their children and fellow students in creating a more environmentally friendly school
campus and community. They introduced environmental activities such as composting, e-‐newsletters instead
of printed informational packets, electronic waste drives, and more. Students became excited about
environmental stewardship and took ownership of these programs, and the school began saving money by
reducing waste hauler fees, energy bills, and more. Local students and schools heard about the program and
asked for support in order to replicate the programs at their respective schools and the Cities stepped up and
supported their efforts through funding as well.
Thus, a grassroots movement was born out of a small group of passionate mothers and students at just one
school. Fast forward 10 years and Grades of Green has blossomed into a mighty force in creatively educating
and engaging over a half million students across 44 states and 21 countries to explore and create solutions and
advocate for the environmental changes they know are imperative for themselves and future generations.
At Grades of Green we're mobilizing an entire generation to tackle local challenges that lead to global impact.
Our long-‐term goal is to engage, inspire and provide resources to the next generation of eco-‐leaders so they
can take control of the health of the planet in which they and their children will continue to live and thrive in.
We plan to work with 5.4 million students (based on the tipping point to create a shift in culture in our youth)
in the next ten years and ensure that these students have the knowledge, support and resources to turn their
passion for the environment into action. We are currently about 10% towards reaching this tipping point.
Our impressive track record of direct and measurable impact includes: 12 million gallons of water saved, over
a million pounds of carbon offset, hundreds of hours of electricity saved, 480 tons of waste conserved,
thousands of pairs of used shoes, ten tons of textiles and clothes recycled.
Grades of Green was recently awarded the Los Angeles County 2019 Green Leadership Award (the only non-‐
profit recognized) for our Fall 2018 Water Campaign. During the Campaign we educated and mentored 528
Eco-‐Leaders in 36 states and 8 Countries. Through student presentations at city council meetings, community
events and at school assemblies 4,200 community members and leaders were educated. 9,761,237 gallons of
water were conserved through student led water solutions and daily habit changes.
In 2009, Grades of Green was awarded the Green Leadership Award from the County of Los Angeles for our
Trash Free Lunch Program. Collectively, our 2017-‐2018 Trash Free Lunch Challenge educated and inspired over
13,000 students on how to reduce, reuse, recycle and rot (compost); saved schools over $11,500 by reducing
trash bag liners used and waste hauler fees; and empowered participating schools to divert over 46,300 bags
of trash, or 463 tons from the landfill. On average, the schools diverted 65% of their lunch waste from the
landfills, and winning schools reduced their waste by over 80%.
In addition, Grades of Green has received numerous other awards including:, Golden Root Award, 2015 SEEDS
Innovation Award, 2015 South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Award for the Promotion of
Good Environmental Stewardship, 2014 Keep America Beautiful, Runner Up Youth Program Award, 2013
Environmental Stewardship Award at the Sage, 2012 CRRA Outstanding Waste prevention Award, Certificate
of Recognition from District 9 EPA and Certificates of Recognition from Assemblywoman Betsy Butley,
Supervisor Don Knabe and the California Legislature.
We believe that working together we can build and execute an award-‐winning educational Climate Program,
bringing visibility to the City of Santa Monica and their efforts to implement sustainable practices and remain
innovative environmental stewards.
NEED
It is estimated that by 2030, the world population of 7 billion will demand twice as many resources as the
planet can supply (The Economist). Meeting the needs of our global citizenry—ecologically, economically,
culturally, spiritually, and more—requires understanding and creative problem solving. Environmental
education equips learners with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to address complex environmental
challenges in the 21st Century.
Although, organizations and companies are investing in our future environmentalists by putting forth the
resources to educate younger generations about sustainability, the challenge is how best to prepare the youth
to be active participants in addressing present and future environmental issues.
In California, SB 100 further advances the state's goal to reduce carbon emissions: 50 percent of the state's
energy must come from eligible renewable sources by 2026, 60 percent by 2030. To reach 100 percent clean
energy by 2045, California can also draw upon energy sources that aren't strictly renewable, but don’t emit
carbon dioxide—such as nuclear, large hydroelectric, and natural gas plants with carbon capture and
storage—to count toward the remaining 40 percent.
Furthermore, decades of studies have proven that environmental racism is a threat to the health and overall
safety of communities across the country. Low-‐income communities and minority ethnic groups often bear the
most severe consequences of environmental degradation, pollution and often bear a disproportionate share
of environmental costs.
Without a new generation of leaders instilled with the environmental values and advocacy skills needed to
take-‐action to address these pressing issues in their local communities, our planet and its people are in
trouble.
CAMPAIGNS = SOLUTIONS
Creating meaningful impacts in air quality in communities and achieving state mandated carbon reduction
goals will require the next generation to understand their backyard environmental problems, create and
implement diverse, creative and sustainable solutions and engage their local school, community and
government in their efforts.
Education alone is not enough. Immediate and lasting environmental change requires a multifaceted approach
including projects-‐based learning, research and problem-‐solving skills, youth leadership development,
continuing mentorship and support in civic engagement and community outreach.
Showing students that environmental stewardship is fun, exciting and accessible requires bringing complex
concepts like sustainability, resource conservation and renewable energy sources down to a level that kids can
relate to through varied, stimulating, and entertaining activities such as games, competitions, webinars, the
arts and technology.
Our award winning and always evolving Campaigns and Programs engage and excite Eco-‐Leaders in
researching an environmental issue, developing solutions and sharing their solutions with their school and
community resulting in lasting change.
Grades of Green Campaigns incorporate the sustainability education methods of scientific inquiry and hands
on learning to empower students to address regional and global issues. All Campaign lessons are designed
to complement Next Generation Science Standard principles and incorporate 21st Century Learning skills.
Additionally, STEM skills are integrated throughout the campaigns. Through NGSS-‐aligned activities, student
leadership training, peer connections, webinars and personalized mentorship from our team, the Campaigns
instill eco-‐ leaders with the environmental knowledge and experiences needed to create impactful, real word
solutions in both the immediate and long term.
Grades of Green pairs Student Teams with a Grades of Green Mentor to help them research local
environmental issues, develop an innovative solution to their issue of choice, and then share their solution
with their community to encourage policy change and local environmental impact. These solutions vary by
area and the student’s passion and drive and have included spearheading beach clean up’s, setting up
schoolwide recycling and composting programs, leading water conservation presentations, hosting
environmental festivals, and championing city wide bans on plastic straws and bags. Two of our student Eco-‐
Leaders received the Presidential Environmental Champions of Change Award and in the last few years Grades
of Green students have helped pass five city-‐wide environmental bans and one statewide resolution to create
actionable and sustainable change.
Our Eco-‐Leaders have been effective at creating a community mind-‐shift, and their expression of the urgent
need for larger environmental action has created city and state-‐wide environmental impacts.
Case Study: Three years ago, Antonio implemented Grades of Green's No Idle Zone Activity at his South Bay
middle school. He became so passionate about air quality that he continued working on No Idle Zones as his
Grades of Green Project while in high school. Grades of Green introduced Antonio to Assemblymember David
Hadley, the Clean Air Coalition and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, who were inspired by
Antonio's passion to decrease carbon emissions and improve the health of school-‐aged students.
Assemblymember Hadley then authored a resolution (ACR 160) to encourage schools across the state of
California to implement No Idles Zones around campus. Antonio went to Sacramento on June 23rd to see the
resolution pass unanimously on the State Assembly Floor, and on August 1st, ACR 160 passed on
the State Senate floor to become an official statewide resolution. Now entering the 11th grade, Antonio has
made a lasting impact on students across California.
We also uniquely pair student teams with each other from around the world to learn, collaborate and create
solutions together. By facilitating this “pen pal” relationship, students expand their awareness of
environmental issues and solutions and learn to better understand different cultures. We believe this helps
increase their ability to adapt to diverse situations through collaborative research and problem solving.
Our current Water and Waste Campaigns consist of four phases, personally mentored by a Grades of Green
advisor. An example of an Air/Climate Campaign is as follows:
Phase 1 – Research and Discover
Student Teams research local air quality problems and resources and identify key issues that need solutions.
Teams will then select a team focus area that resonates in their community. Each team member will take a
pre-‐survey to capture data and benchmark their environmental habits and awareness.
Phase 2 – Action
Students track their individual air quality impact, implement positive air quality habits, and measure air quality
at their school or in their community. Teams conduct research and use utilize hands-‐on and experiential
activities (they will get their hands dirty!) and lesson plans designed to help teams develop an innovative
solution to their issue. They will participate in online community forums (monitored by Grades of Green staff)
and monthly webinars on topics such as greenhouse gases, renewable energy sources and leadership skills
from sustainability professionals, which could include district team members. Teams are also paired with a
buddy team to enhance learning and develop cultural awareness.
Phase 3 – Awareness
Student Teams create and share a video to explain a local air quality issue and a call to action on how others
can address the issue. Team action and creating community awareness involves work at the individual, team
and community level. Individual team members work at home with their families to do research and to make
environmental sustainability and protection action commitments. Teams participate in hands-‐on and
experiential activities such as a community poster project, no idle zones or walk to school days.
Phase 4 – Civic Engagement:
Student Teams launch a community event to highlight their air quality solution or to present their ideas to
local decision makers. Teams share their innovative solutions through their video and post it online for
Campaign judges and the world to see. They create community awareness and inspire others to take-‐action
through displaying posters, making presentations to their school, community and civic groups and posting to
social media. Grades of Green’s Campaigns are specifically designed to empower students to participate in
civic engagement, providing Student Teams with the resources they need to advocate their solutions to their
local leaders in order to create lasting change.
Student Teams can earn eco-‐grant prizes to continue their innovative ideas and solutions. Upon a school’s
completion of a Campaign, Student Teams are encouraged to join another Grades of Green program or
Campaign, thereby keeping students engaged and excited to continue learning about ways to create
environmental impacts and discovering varied opportunities in the STEM fields.
Furthermore, Grades of Green offers environmental activities at no cost on our NEWLY DESIGNED website that
student teams can implement in their school or community to continue to inspire others to care for the
environment. Activities cover the themes of water, air quality, energy, waste and toxins, allowing for students
to explore how all environmental themes connect (ex – saving water can also save energy!), allowing for a
holistic view of environmentalism and sustainability. All of Grades of Green’s activities are available free
online, allowing for customization of both timeline and delivery by the student team and teacher. We are
currently expanding activities as well as creating a teacher or parent led project-‐based curriculum.
Thanks to our sponsors, Grades of Green is proud to offer participation in our Campaigns and programs at no
cost to interested schools. By ensuring our programs are free to join, cost is never a barrier in engaging
students from various backgrounds, cities and communities. We are proud to support students from all types
of schools, including public, private, charter, parochial, and more.
IMPACT AND SAMPLE RESOURCES
We take pride ensuring that our activities and campaigns are “learning while doing” where students take
action to care about the environment while making actionable changes that create impcats, now. In our Water
Campaign, this resulted in 11 MILLION gallons of water conserved by our schools, in our Waste Campaign, this
results in 480 TONS of waste diverted. Funding form our 2020 sponsors would help 6 million California kids’
breath cleaner air. Below are some sample resources that show the hands-‐on, fun and interactive nature of
the proposed Climate Campaign.
that air pollution is an especially big problem in California due to its
topography (the physical shape of the land) and its climate? Most cities in CA are built on plains
or valleys surrounded by mountains, creating a bowl shape that traps dirty air from cars,
factories and power plants. Smog is formed when these pollutants react with each other and with
heat and sunlight, which there’s a lot of in Southern California! Complete this air quality research
activity individually or as a team to learn more about your local air quality and the factors that
create air pollution in your city. Use the hashtags #airpollution and #research to share your top
air pollution findings on your Campaign Team’s social media account.
Air pollution is a mix of particles and gases that can reach harmful levels both outside and
indoors. High concentrations of air pollutants like ground-level ozone (smog) and particulates
(soot) can cause respiratory diseases such as asthma, while other pollutants like carbon dioxide
and methane accumulate in the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.
Most air pollution comes from energy production and use. The U.S. relies on burning fossil fuels
(coal, oil and natural gas) for the majority of our energy needs like transportation, generating the
electricity that powers our cities and homes, producing the material goods we use every day, and
food production. Fossil fuels are a finite resource, meaning there is a limited amount on the
planet. They release gases and chemicals into the air, especially greenhouse gases like carbon
dioxide and methane. But fossil fuels aren’t the only option! Renewable energy sources like solar
power, wind power, hydropower and geothermal heat, biomass and renewable natural gas are
replenished naturally and cause far less air pollution. Right now renewable energy accounts for
more than one-eighth of U.S. energy generation, and clean energy is growing. Learn more about
renewable sources of energy by reading this article, and watch this video from SoCalGas to learn
more about renewable natural gas and California’s clean energy future. Food production activities such as the use of farm equipment and application of synthetic fertilizers also
release greenhouse gases into the air. Agriculture makes up 9% of the total GHG emissions in
the United States and 26% globally! You can read more about the impacts of agriculture by
reading this article and calculate your diet’s carbon footprint here. Food waste also adds
greenhouse gases, such as methane, into the atmosphere as it decomposes!
OK eco-heroes, it’s time to do some detective work! Research your local air quality by
investigating the Air Quality Index (AQI), a number from 0 to 500 that reflects how clean or
polluted your air is and what health effects may be of concern based on measurements from air
quality monitors. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a national air quality
standard of 100 – so an AQI value over 100 indicates unhealthy air quality. The AQI is calculated
based on the concentrations of 5 big air pollutants: ground-level ozone, particulate matter,
carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. These big 5 pollutants are regulated
under the Clean Air Act, a federal law that you can learn more about here.
Visit the PurpleAir Map here and enter your location
Click on the closest air quality monitor sensor (a colored circle) to learn about the
current AQI, and record your findings below:
Current AQI:
Health Effects:
Predicted AQI in 6 hours:
Predicted AQI in 1 day:
Predicted AQI in 1 week:
and brainstorm 3 reasons why air quality might change depending on the time of day,
the time of week, and the time of the year:
1)
2)
3)
Look up and record the AQI in your area at the same time each day
for the rest of the Air Campaign, and graph your results.
Click here to view California’s air quality Report Card, published every year by the
American Lung Association. The most recent report compiles data collected from air
monitors operated by counties, states and federal agencies from 2015, 2016 and 2017.
a.Click the dropdown arrow under the “High Ozone Days” heading and search for
your city. In a separate tab, review this page to understand the numbers and
letters included in the report, then record the following information from your
city’s report:
Grade:
Orange days (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups):
Red days (Unhealthy):
Purple days (Very unhealthy):
b.Click the dropdown arrow under the “Particle Pollution” heading and search for
your city, then record the following information for your city’s report:
Grade:
Orange days (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups):
Red days (Unhealthy):
Purple days (Very unhealthy):
Maroon days (Hazardous):
c.Click on your city name to view your city’s full report card. Then use the space
below to write down your top 5 facts about air pollution in your area.
HINT: check out the graph of how air pollution has changed over time, and the
groups at risk from air pollution.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Diving in to research is the first step to creating a great air quality
solution. Now that you know some of the facts behind what causes air pollution and how air
quality is measured, it’s time to take action! Check out the Air Quality Action Tracker activity with
your team to learn about how you can reduce air pollution, every day.
that half of the major U.S. cities with the worst air quality are located in California? Here’s where
YOU come in – by taking daily actions to reduce air pollution. Want to make an even bigger impact? Challenge
your friends and family to join you! Use the hashtags #takeaction and #cleanair to share your air quality actions
on your Campaign Team’s social media account.
Improve air quality as a team by taking on as many of the emissions – reducing actions in the table below that
you can in 1 week. Want to kick it up a notch? Choose one action to complete with your team every week of the Air
Campaign. To calculate your impact, multiply the pounds of CO2 each action in the tracker reduces by the
number of times you completed the action, then add up all of the pounds of CO2 you reduced in the last column
to calculate your grand total pounds of CO2 emissions reduced. CO2 is the easiest air pollution impact to
measure, but if you’re taking actions below that conserve electricity, you can use this formula based on the
California electric grid to find air pollutant equivalencies:
1 kWh electricity = 0.529 lbs Carbon Dioxide (C02) = 0.00003 lbs Methane(CH4) = 0.0005 lbs Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
EMISSIONS REDUCTION ACTIONS LBS CO2 REDUCED PER ACTION #TIMES
COMPLETED
TOTAL LBS
CO2
REDUCED
Walk, ride or carpool to and/or from school with
friends to reduce CO2 emissions from car
exhaust.
Additional pollutants reduced: carbon monoxide
(CO), hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and
particulate matter (PM)
18 lbs CO 2 X mile(s) drive
lbs CO 2 to/from school =
Sources:
US Department of Energy
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Eat a red meat-free meal to reduce CO2
emissions from meat production. Want to kick it
up a notch? Eat a vegan meal without animal
products like cheese, milk or eggs to reduce
even more CO 2.
Additional pollutants reduced: methane
Click here to learn m ore about the CO2 impact
of food.
25 lbs CO2 per avg red meat - free
meal (1 serving of meat = 3 oz/85g)
39 lbs CO2 per avg vegan meal
Sources:
New York Times Science
Cut down on food waste and decrease
greenhouse gas emissions by planning out your
meals, buying only what you need, and storing
food correctly. Compost food scraps as a last
resort to divert it from the landfill.
Pollutants reduced: carbon dioxide (CO2) and
methane
Click here to learn more about the impacts of
food waste.
0.24 lbs CO2 equivalent per lb of food
waste. This includes scraps, leftovers,
and spoiled food.
The average person wastes about a
pound of food each day!
Sources:
EPA WARM Model
Stop Waste
Replace incandescent light bulbs with CFL
light bulbs to reduce the CO2 emissions
from electricity generation.
Additional pollutants reduced: carbon
monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2),
nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter
(PM)
Click here to learn m ore about energye
efficient appliances from SoCal gas.
30.5 lbs CO2 per light bulb replaced
Sources: USAI
Lighting EPA
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Fill out this REQUIRED Pre-Survey as a team so Grades of Green
can learn about your environmental starting point.
DIRECTIONS: Review this resource as a team to get to know some facts about how plastic impacts
water resources. Click on the link after each fact to visit the source and learn more. Then, on the
next page, think about who you are as a team and why the issue of plastic pollution matters to you to
write a “Why Statement” that will guide your Campaign project.
FACT: Plastics Impact Oceans. Marine organisms like phytoplankton, seaweed, and
cyanobacterium produce 50-80% of the oxygen on our planet (Smithsonian Ocean). Even though
oceans help us breathe, humans allow 8 million tons of plastics to flow into oceans every year. Much
of this plastic enters the ocean in large pieces like plastic bottles, bags, wrappers, and packaging,
these items break down into tiny pieces known as microplastics (National Geographic). There are
approximately 51 trillion microplastic particles in the ocean today - that’s 500 times more than the
number of stars in our galaxy. (5 Gyres).
FACT: Recycling Isn’t the Answer. Even if you ALWAYS put your plastic waste in a recycling bin,
there’s no guarantee it will actually get recycled. Out of the 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste produced
since the 1950s, only about 9% has been recycled. One million plastic bottles are sold around the
world every minute - that’s about 20,000 bottles per second. In 2016, less than half were collected
for recycling, and just 7% of those were turned into new bottles (The Guardian). The plastic
collected for recycling is often sent to a landfill, burned, or it is sold to developing nations where it is
often disposed of improperly (The Guardian). All of this means that the answer to plastic waste isn’t
recycling, it’s reduction.
FACT: Single-Use Plastics Are Wasteful! In 2016, roughly half of the 335 million tons of plastic
manufactured around the world was made into single-use products (Global Production of Plastic).
Single-use plastics, like food packaging, grocery bags, bottles, straws, cups and cutlery, are
intended to be used just one time before they are thrown away or recycled (Plastic Oceans). Making
plastics consumes significant resources, like water. Believe it or not, it takes 22 gallons of water to
make just 1 pound of plastic. In fact, it takes twice as much water to produce a plastic water bottle as
the amount of water contained in the bottle (Water Calculator).
OPTIONAL: DIG DEEPER FOR FACTS. Click on the links below to learn more about how plastics
impact water globally and/or follow the steps below to learn about water quality where YOU live.
Record the additional facts you found and their sources below.
WWF Report 2018| EPA Trash-Free Waters | NatGeo Plastic Pollution Facts| Plastic Conversions
1. Contact your local water department, water treatment facility, or city/district
sustainability manager
2. Visit EWG to research contaminant sources in your local tap water
3. Reach out to an environmental group in your community
Facts and sources here
DEVELOP YOUR WHY STATEMENT (15 POINTS). As a team, create a 3-4 sentence Why
Statement that answers the three questions listed below.
1. Who are you? Describe your team members, location, and school or community.
2. What did you discover about the plastic problem and water? Include at least one fact that your
team found compelling and include the source.
3. Why do you care? Explain why the plastic problem matters to your team.
Answer here
Example 15 Point Why Statement: We are a team of 6 middle school students from Lancaster,
California (5pts) We learned that the vending machine at our school sells an average of 300 water
bottles per week. This concerns us because plastic bottles require twice as much water to produce
as they contain. Lancaster is a desert community and only receives 7.4 inches of rainfall each year.
(5pts) We don’t believe that our school should support a water-wasting behavior like selling single-
use water bottles. (5pts)
SHARE YOUR “WHY STATEMENT” (5 POINTS) How did you share your “Why Statement” with
your peers at school or in your community? Highlight or check off one or more of the options below
and make sure to share what you did with your Mentor.
Online newsletter – share the link with your Mentor
Announcement – send the recording to your Mentor
School Assembly – share a photo of the Assembly with your Mentor
Poster or flyer – share a picture of the poster or flyer with your Mentor
Other ____________________
DIRECTIONS: Based on your “Why Statement” from Phase 1, pick: 1) your Campaign pathway, 2)
“What” plastic to reduce and 3) “Who” you will share your action and pitch with. Use your “Why”,
“What”, and “Who” to set a S.M.A.R.T. goal for your Campaign– a goal that is Specific,
Measureable, Actionable, Results-Focused, and Time-Bound.
1: CHOOSE YOUR HABIT CHANGE OR ADVOCACY PATH. Highlight or check off which pathway
you will follow during your Campaign.
HABIT CHANGE path (educating others to make habit changes that reduce plastic)
ADVOCACY path (advocating for policy changes that will reduce plastic)
2: SELECT WHAT KIND OF PLASTIC TO REDUCE. Highlight or check off the type(s) of plastic you
want to reduce during your Campaign.
Single-use water bottles/cups
Plastic bags
Plastic straws
Plastic utensils
Mircobeads
Other ________________
3. MEASURE YOUR BASELINE. How much of the type(s) of plastic you selected is currently being
used? Contact your Mentor for help measuring your baseline.
Answer here
4. SELECT YOUR AUDIENCE. Highlight or check off the audience(s) for your Campaign. This is the
group that you’ll ask to help you reduce plastic and will be your audience for your pitch in Phase 3.
Classroom
School-wide
School District
Another School
City Council
Local business: __________
Other: ________________
5. GET READY FOR IMPACT. Review the Phase 3 worksheet and schedule a time and place NOW
to deliver your Campaign pitch to your audience. Share the details with your Mentor.
Pitch date, time and location here.
Baseline Example | HABIT CHANGE
200 students in 6th – 12th grade currently use
100 plastic bottles from the cafeteria every day
Baseline Example | ADVOCACY
Coca-Cola produced 110 billion single-use
plastic bottles in 2018.
6. SET A S.M.A.R.T. GOAL (15 POINTS)
Now that you’ve decided your Campaign path, what plastic you want reduce, why you want to
reduce it, and who you want to join you, it’s time to create a S.M.A.R.T. plastic reduction Campaign
goal as a team.
S.M.A.R.T. Goal here.
SHARE YOUR S.M.A.R.T. GOAL (5 POINTS) How did you share your S.M.A.R.T. Goal with your
peers at school or in your community? Highlight or check off one or more of the options below, and
make sure to share what you did with your Mentor.
Online newsletter – share the link with your Mentor
Announcement – send the recording to your Mentor
School Assembly – share a photo of the Assembly with your Mentor
Poster or flyer – share a picture of the poster or flyer with your Mentor
Other _____________________
S.M.A.R.T. Goal Example | HABIT CHANGE
(15 POINTS)
Reduce single-use plastic water bottles on campus
from 100/day to 50 or less/day (Measurable, 3pts)
by sharing facts about how single-use water bottles
affect our fresh water supply and request students
to bring a reusable water bottle to school
(Specific/Actionable, 6pts), during the Student
Broadcast once a month from now until December,
(Time-Bound, 3pts), so that 93 gallons of water is
conserved each week of the Impact Phase
(Results-Focused, 3pts.).
S.M.A.R.T. Goal Example | ADVOCACY
(15 POINTS)
Advocate to the School Board to remove water
bottle vending machines from all district campuses
by presenting a proposal outlining the water impacts
of bottled water and submitting a petition signed by
75% (Measurable, 3pts) of the school community
(including administrators, teachers, staff, students,
parents) (Specific, 3pts) at the school board
meeting (Actionable, 3pts) on December 4th at 5:30
(Time-Bound, 3pts) at the district headquarters so
that 42,000 gallons of water will be conserved
annually (Results-Focused, 3pts).
DIRECTIONS: Use this worksheet to outline your pitch – a compelling statement that explains the
environmental problem your team is focusing on, what you are doing to solve it, and how your
audience can participate in your solution. Next, film your pitch video and send the file to your Mentor.
You can use your pitch video throughout the Campaign to help spread awareness and get your
school or community involved in your solution. Then, get ready for Phase 4 by creating a step-by-
step task list to implement your S.M.A.R.T. goal that assigns each task to a team member.
CREATE YOUR PITCH
Write a pitch script that includes the four sections below. Looking for inspiration? Click here to read
sample HABIT CHANGE and ADVOCACY pitches and watch example videos.
1. Pitch Introduction (1-2 sentences): Introduce your team and explain your Phase 1 “Why
Statement” - who are you and why do you care?
2. Summarize and Cite Research (2-3 sentences): Share the key research that influenced your
project and where the facts came from.
3. Problem, Baseline, and Solution (2-3 sentences) What is the problem you’re trying to solve?
What is the baseline starting point (i.e. students at school currently use 500 plastic water bottles at
lunch time)? What is your proposed solution?
4. Conclusion (2-3 sentences) What action do you want your audience to take? What impact will it
have? What goal will it accomplish?
Answer here.
FILM YOUR PITCH (VIDEO IS WORTH 10 POINTS)
Film your team or a team member delivering your finished pitch and submit the video file to your
Mentor by NOVEMBER 8TH (10 points). Videos will not be judged on video quality or presentation
style; it’s all about the content of the pitch.
CREATE A TASK LIST TO IMPLEMENT YOUR S.M.A.R.T. GOAL (15 POINTS)
To get ready for Phase 4, brainstorm all of the tasks required to implement your S.M.A.R.T. Goal
with your team:
1. Use the chart below to organize your task list (completed task list worth 15 points). Add
additional rows as needed.
2. Divide responsibilities
3. Assign a completion date for each task
Click here to see a HABIT CHANGE and ADVOCACY sample task lists.
TASK RESPONSIBLE
TEAM MEMBER (S)
COMPLETE BY
Fill in here. Fill in here. Fill in here.
ADD LINES AS NEEDED
SHARE YOUR PITCH (5 POINTS) How did you share your pitch with your peers at school or in your
community? Highlight or check off one or more of the options below, and make sure to share what
you did with your Mentor.
Online newsletter – share the link with your Mentor
Announcement – send the recording to your Mentor
School Assembly – share a photo of the Assembly with your Mentor
Poster or flyer – share a picture of the poster or flyer with your Mentor
Other _____________________
DIRECTIONS: As a team, use your S.M.A.R.T goal and your Phase 3 task list to implement your
Campaign project and make change in your community. Contact your Mentor if you get stuck or are
unsure about next steps while working on your project. Next, fill out this worksheet to record the
results you’ve achieved and let us know what’s still in progress.
IMPORTANT: This is your chance to share everything your team accomplished during the
Campaign before Grades of Green scores your 4 completed worksheets to select the finalists.
1. S.M.A.R.T. GOAL RESULTS (10 POINTS) (5-6 sentences)
What parts of your S.M.A.R.T. goal did you accomplish? Are there any parts of your goal that you
exceeded or did not meet, and why? Did your goal change over time? What are you still working on,
if anything? Please let us know if this is a semester-long project that has been finished or an ongoing
project that is still underway and will be continued in a future Campaign.
Answer here
2. SHOW OFF YOUR IMPACT (15 POINTS)
Fill in either the HABIT-CHANGE or ADVOCACY impact chart on the next 2 pages with the results
you achieved by implementing your project. For each metric, fill in your result, units (i.e. Gallons,
number of single-use plastic bags), the action that achieved the result (i.e. collected and upcycled
plastic bottles, presented pitch at school assembly), and any additional notes that explain how you
got the results you are recording.
IMPORTANT: Not all of the metrics in the impact chart may apply to your project, so just fill in the
rows that are relevant to you. Include the number of students and adults on your Campaign Team
above the chart.
TIP: Click here to learn plastic and water conversions that will help you calculate your metrics
(Example: 10 plastic water bottles = 0.794 lbs)
IMPACT CHART - HABIT CHANGE
Click here for an example impact chart
# Students on your team: Answer here
# Adults on your team: Answer here
METRIC
RESULTS
AND UNITS
THROUGH WHAT ACTION ADDITIONAL NOTES
Water Saved (Gal/L) (it takes
22 Gal of water to make 1lb
of plastic)
Answer here Answer here Answer here
Weight of Plastic Reduced
(oz., lbs, kg, tons)
# Items of Plastic Reduced
and Type of Item(s) (bottles,
straws, bags etc.)
# Students Reached Through
Pitch and Pitch Presentation
Location
# Community Members
Reached Through Pitch and
Pitch Presentation Location
# Of Awareness Actions (#
petitions signed, # letters
written, # pledges signed, #
posters created, etc.)
.
IMPACT CHART – ADVOCACY
Click here for an example impact chart
# Students on your team: Answer here
# Adults on your team: Answer here
METRIC
RESULTS
AND UNITS THROUGH WHAT ACTION ADDITIONAL NOTES
# Students Reached
Through Pitch and Pitch
Presentation Location
Answer here Answer here Answer here
# Community Members
Reached Through Pitch
and Pitch Presentation
Location
# Of Awareness Actions
(# petitions signed, #
letters written, # pledges
signed, # posters
created, etc.)
Environmental Impact(s)
if your Proposed Policy
is Adopted
Additional Metrics Not
Listed Above:
4. HOW WILL YOU SUSTAIN YOUR CAMPAIGN? (3 BONUS POINTS)
How do you plan to sustain (or continue) your Campaign project? How would you use the Eco-Grant
funds if your team won?
Answer here
4. TELL US WHY YOU’RE A WINNER (2 BONUS POINTS)
Why should your team be a Campaign winner? Is there anything else we should know about your
Campaign project when we’re scoring your results?
Answer here
SHARE YOUR IMPACT (5 POINTS) How did you share your impact with your peers at school or in
your community? Highlight or check off one or more of the options below, and make sure to share
what you did with your Mentor.
Online newsletter – share the link with your Mentor
Announcement – send the recording to your Mentor
School Assembly – share a photo of the Assembly with your Mentor
Poster or flyer – share a picture of the poster or flyer with your Mentor
Other _____________________
ALMOST DONE! FILL IN THIS REQUIRED POST – SURVEY. Now that you’ve completed your
Campaign out this REQUIRED Post-Survey as a team to share what you learned from the
Campaign experience with Grades of Green.