Texas Cooperative Extension
The Texas A&M University System
Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University System, actively supports the future creation and/or the protection of a sound environment through enhancement of public awareness and educational activities concerning sustainable solid waste reuse, reduction, recycling, reprocessing and buying recycled.
Texas Cooperative Extension is a multi-disciplinary public agency providing advanced applied research, planning, management information, development alternatives and educational activities in sustainable solid waste related activities. Alliances are formed with a broad base of organizations, agencies, corporations, centers and institutions to educate clienteles on solid waste management issues.
Decision-makers and educators across the state of Texas are looking for alternative solid waste management practices that are environmentally sound, economically sustainable and effective. Education plays an important role in reducing the solid waste problem.
Solid Waste Management Program
Goals of this program by the year 2000 are:
- To understand current solid waste management practices and state, federal and international laws governing solid waste management practices;
- To understand the magnitude and components of the solid waste stream;
- To provide opportunities in which solid waste reduction techniques may be practically applied in Texas communities;
- To develop technical solutions with affiliated researchers and educators that address broader issues of solid waste generation and composting, solid waste reduction and recycling, risk management, environmental equity, and public decision- making;
- To increase public (including institutional, industrial and governmental) awareness of topics such as recycling, solid waste reduction, composting, pesticide container disposal, household hazardous products, solid waste disposal through incineration, digestion, and landfill management;
- To extend Extension's educational efforts with applied research, outreach and teaching activities (databases, software programs, training manuals, master volunteer certification schools, videos, booklets, slide sets, demonstrations, applied research grant projects, publications, agent training, adult and youth training, tours, television programs, newspaper articles, and clientele contacts).
Two examples of ongoing Extension solid waste programs are described below.
Household Hazardous Waste
Texas Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with other resource organizations, develops and promotes education and action concerning household hazardous product identification, safe use, storage, proper disposal, and the selection of safer alternatives. Extension provides training, consultation, educational materials and an information service for the public concern regarding household hazardous products and wastes.
Pesticide Container Collection and Environmentally Safe Disposal Practices
Extension, in cooperation with other resource organizations, promotes environmental health and social justice through the adoption of sound pest management policies and practices, These practices should reduce dependence on chemical pesticides and provide environmentally safe and economically sustainable disposal alternatives for pesticide containers.
Extension educators must become effective in adapting programs to handle communities' solid waste. Advisory groups and planning committees must be designed to emphasize the dissemination of quality information and expand the Extension Service's program outreach. While most of the outreach educational programs focus on Texas, the Texas Cooperative Extension responds to information requests statewide, nationally and internationally.
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