Planet Protectors—Waste Management Education
Planet Protectors is a community waste management and environmental education program for children which has resulted from a partnership between Valley Waste Resource Management (VWRM) and the Acadia University Department of Community Development.
Planet Protectors provides a hands-on tour of the waste management site in Kentville, NS and meets curriculum outcomes for the grade three curriculum (soil cycle and decomposition topics) though other ages can participate. The tour, which uses a time traveling theme, follows a story to create flow and cohesion throughout each stop along the way. Within the storyline, time travelers arrive and explain to the children how the world has gone to “the dumps” in the future and that it is up to the participants to learn what to do so they can avoid this future and make the world a better place. University students from the Community Development and Environmental and Sustainability Studies programs at Acadia are the guides, working under the direction and supervision of the Valley Waste Educators. The program objectives for participants are to:
- Understand the soil cycle.
- Understand why waste management is important and how it connects to nature.
- Be inspired to use creative problem solving to reuse materials.
- Reduce personal environmental impact.
- Increase appreciation of nature.
Using the theme of time travel, this field trip provides children with the opportunity to learn how to reduce impacts on the Earth and facilitate a better future. Through this process they learn more about nature, the soil and decomposition cycles and waste management.
Please click here for either Teacher Materials or Leader Materials