School is back in session, and so is the environmental education and eco-citizenship collaboration between Snohomish County and WM. After rave reviews last year in Snohomish County schools, WM educators are now back for more assemblies, workshops and classroom presentations. The goal? Engage and educate students and staff around environmental topics that integrate with standard curriculum.
This outreach is part of WM’s work for Snohomish County. As the WM Partnership Manager for Waste Reduction and Innovation, I oversee this program and have witnessed firsthand how impactful these workshops and assemblies are. Students and teachers come prepared with thoughtful questions for the WM experts, and some even ace our quizzes about sustainability and the environment.
A local teacher said it best: “This was an excellent presentation, both for the information and entertainment. We will do more in the coming months to emphasize the messages that were shared in the assembly so that we all do a better job with rethinking, reducing, reusing and recycling.”
WM educators have played an integral role in environmental education in schools in Western Washington since 2012. During the 2024-25 school year, the WM outreach team exceeded the goal we had set with Snohomish County by educating more than 12,000 students, and we’re aiming even higher this year!
What’s to come? New WM assemblies, new workshops and new interactive presentations for schools in Snohomish County. The goal is always the same: New learnings and better recycling practices for students to take home to their families and neighbors.
Joel Kohlstedt
Waste Management
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
