The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Blazier Blue Jays keep Austin green and sustainable
10.06.2017 | Texas Athletics, Bleed Orange. Live Green.
Blazier Elementary School is the "2017 Zero Waste Champion."
Blazier Elementary School has been selected as the "2017 Zero Waste Champion" by Keep Austin Beautiful!
This award is made possible through a partnership between Keep Austin Beautiful and Texas Athletics as part of The University of Texas' Bleed Orange, Live Green initiative.
Blazier Elementary School was selected from more than 40 schools, all of which participated in the Generation Zero program delivered by Keep Austin Beautiful on behalf of Austin Resource Recovery in 2016-17. Keep Austin Beautiful evaluated the schools based on:
- Participation in the Generation Zero program
- Student, teacher, administration, and community participation in zero waste initiatives
- Comprehensiveness of the zero waste initiatives including, but not limited to, composting, recycling, and reuse efforts
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Blazier Elementary has participated in Keep Austin Beautiful's Generation Zero program for the past 5 years, with more than 1,000 students participating in the program. Since 2014, Blazier students have diverted 76,179 pounds of recyclables and 209,895 pounds of compost from the landfill.
During the 2016-17 school year, Keep Austin Beautiful engaged eight first grade classes at Blazier. These students learned about what goes into the blue single-stream recycling bins and what doesn't, how to compost, and how to care for their classroom worm composting bin. The students then took this knowledge and put it into practice in the lunchroom, in their campus beautification efforts, and in their annual Earth Day celebrations. From classroom recycling initiatives to gardens where students plant and grow everything from pumpkins to Swiss chard, Blazier students are making a difference in their school and their community.
"Blazier Elementary School has excelled at waste diversion on their campus and we are excited to give the students an opportunity to enjoy the football game and see how a large facility like The University of Texas also diverts waste on their campus," said Keep Austin Beautiful's Education Programs Manager, Alecia Casper.
Student representatives, faculty, and staff from Blazier will be attending the Texas Football game on Saturday, Oct. 7, and will be recognized for their award on the field. Blazier Elementary has also received a $500 prize to continue zero waste efforts on their campus.
About Keep Austin Beautiful
Keep Austin Beautiful has been working to keep our city clean and beautiful since 1985. As a nonprofit the organization's mission is to provide resources and education to engage citizens in building more beautiful communities. Keep Austin Beautiful's Generation Zero Waste Program is in partnership with Austin Resource Recovery.