The District Offers A Variety of Field Trips

In order to enhance your solid waste efforts in the classroom, the District offers FREE solid waste related field trips. The field trips are limited, therefore the District asks for participation in one District workshop training sessions. Participants must also dedicate at least three classroom hours to solid waste education. The 2003 Field trip schedule is closed. For notification of future workshops, upcoming activities, special opportunities, and the travel voucher program contact Susan Schumacher at 513-946-7734.

“Where Does All the Garbage Go?”

FREE field trips (including transportation and student fees) to Rumpke Landfill and Caldwell Nature Center are offered by the District.

The trip begins with a tour of Rumpke Landfill where you and your students will witness some great, up-close views of a working landfill in action. A Rumpke representative discusses various sites of the operation, such as the working face, the methane gas recovery system, the truck wash, parts of the mining operation, etc. Students learn about Rumpke’s history, types of vehicles used, and the many items in place to protect our environment from garbage.

Following the Rumpke tour is a trip to Caldwell Nature Center. Here, students eat pre-packed lunches. At this site, students are involved in the “Cycles and Recycles” program where they study the ways both people and nature recycle, clear up confusion over the three R’s and learn about recycling and composting. Students participate in on a hike focusing on natural cycles and decomposition.

“Compost Kids”

The District’s compost demonstration site, located at the Civic Garden Center, features a compost demonstration presentation theatre for schools and civic groups. The Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services, Solid Waste Management District and the Civic Garden Center team up to provide FREE field trips to the Garden Center.

Composting is taught by the District through hands-on activities. Students discover what compost is, how to make it, how it reduces solid waste in our landfills and how to use it in the garden. Civic Garden Center staff and docents lead students through activities that emphasize how compost benefits our soil and plants.