For Schools & Youth
Classroom Visits & Presentations
Our educators can visit your classroom, youth group, club, camp or scout group to speak about waste reduction and proper recycling. We also provide adult education programs. To schedule, contact us today.
Grant & Scholarship Opportunities
The District and other organizations offer grants to cities, villages and schools to encourage recycling and sustainability. Please contact us for more information.
Holiday Waste Tips
Did you know…? Americans increase their trash by 25% between Thanksgiving and the New Year. That’s about 1 million extra tons of trash per week! The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year in the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high! Lastly, 38,000 miles of ribbon are thrown out each year. Since the earth’s circumference is 25,000 miles—that’s enough ribbon to tie a bow around the earth!
- Holiday Tips Cheat Sheet Part 1
- Holiday Tips Cheat Sheet Part 2
Experience Earth Camp
Pickaway SWCD hosts EE Camp each summer for students entering 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. EE Camp is a three-day day camp that takes place at a Pickaway County outdoor location. New in 2021, we also offer a one-day Jr. EE Camp for incoming 1st and 2nd grade students in Pickaway County.
Campers are given the opportunity to learn about nature, wildlife and the environment from experts in a fun and educational way! Pickaway SWCD is happy to partner with Pickaway County Park District and RPHF Solid Waste District to host our EE Camps.
Earth Day Sidewalk Chalk Challenge
The RPHF Solid Waste District is hosting a sidewalk chalk drawing challenge in honor of Earth Day. This challenge encourages Kindergarten & First Grade classrooms in Pickaway & Fayette County to get outside and create drawings about the challenge theme. Please view the flyer for more information.
Earth Day Photo Contest
What does Earth Day mean to you? Is it tending to a garden or composting? Picking up litter or recycling? Teaching kids about water conservation? Show us how you celebrate or observe this holiday by submitting you best photo before April 30th! More info on this Google Form: https://forms.gle/AE69YSCeZYNAyNSH9
Billboard Contest
We host a creative drawing billboard contest for all 5th graders in the four county district. The winning billboards (1 per county) are displayed the month of April in observance of Earth Day. Please have all entries submitted by January 28th, 2022.
2022 Billboard Contest:
2022 Billboard Contest Results:
- Ross County - Summer Collier, Unioto Elementary
- Pickaway County - Juliette Jackson, Saltcreek Intermediate
- Highland County - Jax Vanzaint, Buckskin Elementary
- Fayette County - Landen Smith, Miami Trace Elementary
2021 Billboard Contest Results:
- Ross County - Sophie Hanes at Unioto
- Pickaway County - Abigail Hegarty at Walnut Elementary
- Highland County - Khloe Welling at Fairfield Local
- Fayette County - Emily Parsley at Miami Trace
2020 Billboard Contest Results
- Ross County (4087 OLD US 35 1 MI W/O RT 138): Jack, Ross County Christian Academy
- Pickaway County (US 23 .5mi S/O S Bloomfield): Briar, Ashville Elementary
- Highland County (318 ROUTE 138 & ROUTE 28): Meghan, Bright Elementary
- Fayette County (1195 St. 22 W .5mi E/O Rt 35 WCH): Nora, Miami Trace Elementary
Classroom Tools
We can provide worksheets and recycling information to educators at any time. Simply reach out to our District Educators!
- The Lorax Free Coloring Sheet
- Buy Local Bunny Free Coloring Sheet
- Free recycling ABC order worksheet
- ABCYA - Litter Critters
- Recycling Matters Lesson Plans K-3
- EPA Education Resources
- Earth Maze
District Newsletter
We provide quarterly district newsletters to highlight activities in our four counties.
- 2019 Mid-Year Newsletter
- 2019 Year-End Newsletter
- 2020 Year-End Newsletter
- 2021 Mid-Year Newsletter
- 2021 Year-End Newsletter
Junior Conservationist Program - Pickaway County
The Jr. Conservationist Program is a do-it-yourself conservation camp hosted my Pickaway Soil and Water Conservation District, the Pickaway County Park District and RPHF Solid Waste District! Register to participate and be eligible for a free hat or button! Complete the required number of activities from each topic category below and take photos of yourself doing the activities/projects. Send photos to ahartzler@pickawaycountyohio.gov to be eligible for a free hat or button! 2020’s program year will begin May 1 and you will have until October 1 to complete your activities. Time to get outside, explore and learn! Don’t want to register? No worries! Enjoy any of these activities on your own for free!

