Recycling Poster Contest

All students in Fairfield public and private schools and youth organizations are invited to showcase their artistic
talent and their commitment to the environment by participating in the Fairfield Countys recycling poster contest. Deadline
for entry is November 16, 2012.
One (1) winner will receive the honor of having his/her artwork for one of Fairfield Countys Recyclings billboard.
They will also be recognized by the Fairfield County Council and Fairfield Countys Recycling Department in January, 2013.
The student(s) with the winning entries from the winning schools/classrooms will receive a recycled-content tote bag filled
with recycling educational materials. One grand-prize winner will earn a free Pizza Party for their classroom/homeroom and
a saving bond in their name.
CONTEST RULES
The attached pages provide the rules for our poster contest. Please make as many copies as you need. Information
on solid waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and buying recycled products can also be found on our Website:
www.fairfieldsc.com/publicworks/recyclingcontest/resources.
*Please read the following contest rules carefully. Only posters that meet the contest rules will be considered.
DEADLINE
Posters should be received by Fairfield County Recycling Coordinator, C/O Jake Gaston no later than November 16,
2012. Mail entries early. Posters will be judged in March and winners will be notified as soon as possible. We hope
your school, organization, or business will participate in this worthwhile event and we look forward to working with
you. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely, Jake Gaston
Fairfield County
Recycling Coordinator
(803) 635-2740
jgaston@fairfieldsc.com

Please share this

information with
others who may be
interested!
Fairfield County Recycling
P.O. Drawer 60, Winnsboro, South Carolina
(803) 635-2740
Fairfieldsc.com
1

Recycling Poster Contest Rules

Eligibility

All students in Fairfield County public and private schools and youth organizations are eligible.
Poster Requirements

Posters created by students must be their own original artwork. Copyrighted characters (such as Superman) or
copyrighted clip art will not be accepted.
Materials:

Size & Layout:

Students may use a variety of media, such as watercolor, pen and ink, crayon, chalk,
markers, computer graphics, etc. Brighter colors, however, reproduce better for the
Billboard, light pencil marks will not show up. Students are encouraged to incorporate
recycled or recyclable materials in their creations. Keep in mind most posters will likely be
on public display and should be easy to see or read. NOTE: If students are incorporating
recyclables into their artwork, depth is restricted to half an inch.
Minimum: 8 1 /2" x I I"
Maximum: 11" x 17"
LANDSCAPE LAYOUT ONLY

Release Form: Each poster must have the Release Form (page 6) securely fastened to the back
of the poster. A poster not accompanied by a completed Release Form will not
be eligible for further judging.
Submitting Posters: Posters, with Release Forms, must be received no later than November 16, 2012.
Send posters to:
Fairfield County Recycling
Poster Contest
P.O. Drawer 60
Winnsboro, South Carolina 29180
Each participating school, organization, or business is permitted to submit up to
fifteen (15) posters. How your school, organization, or business decides on the
fifteen (15) posters is up to you. Some may wish to have a contest and choose
the entries; others may just have the art teacher, principal, or group leader
choose.
Themes
Students are encouraged to share their views on the following themes. See page 4 or visit our Web

www.fairfieldsc.com/publicworks/recyclingcontest/resources site for information on and links to the benefits of

waste reduction, recycling, composting, and buying recycled products.
Composting: Nature's Own Way of Recycling Recycling + School = Cool!
Short-Circuit Your E-Waste, Recycle! Recycling Has Benefits Beyond the Bin

Fairfield County Recycling

P.O. Drawer 60, Winnsboro, South Carolina
(803) 635-2740
Fairfieldsc.com
2

Judging Procedure

The posters will be grouped into one of the following four grade categories:
Kindergarten through 2 nd Grade
3 rd through 5 th Grade
6 t h through 8 th Grade
9th through12 th Grade
The three (3) best posters in each grade category will be judged based on the judging
criteria listed below. Four finalists will be awarded in each grade category; only winners
will be notified.
Judging Criteria

I.
2.
3.
4.

Clear message conveyed by the text and artwork.

Creativity, originality and artistic quality.
Visual clarity - easy to read.
One of the poster themes listed on page 2 is addressed.

Awards

School, Organization and Business Level:

Each student participant should receive a "Certificate of Recognition" (master copy enclosed,
page 7) to acknowledge their effort. Please photocopy as many as you need.
Winners:

The Four finalists in each grade category will receive a recycled-content frame for their
artwork. In addition, each winning student will receive the honor of having his/her artwork
displayed in a poster that will be distributed throughout Fairfield County. The winners
schools will receive 25 posters and other recycling educational materials.
One grand-prize winner will earn a free Pizza party for his/her classroom/homeroom and a
savings bond in their name.
Please Remember:

Up to fifteen (I5) entries may be submitted by each school, organization or business.

Entries must meet the poster requirements specified on page 2 and must have the Release
Form on page 6 securely fastened to the back of the poster.
All artwork submitted becomes property of Fairfield County Recycling & SCDHEC of
Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling and may be reproduced.

Fairfield County Recycling

P.O. Drawer 60, Winnsboro, South Carolina
(803) 635-2740
Fairfieldsc.com

Themes
Composting: Nature 's Own Way of Recycling
Composting is the easiest way to turn garbage into valuable material while keeping it out of landfills.
As garbage decays in landfills, it contributes to the formation of methane, a landfill gas that has been
linked to global warming.
Whether you have lots of room for composting piles and bins or live in an apartment, you can compost.
It's easy because the decomposing food does the work for you. Mixing kitchen scraps such as vegetable
trimmings and coffee grounds with leaves and lawn and garden trimmings will create compost that
breaks down quickly and doesn't smell. Try vermicomposting-using red wiggler worms to create the
compost. Their hearty appetites will turn a couple of handfuls of dirt and your vegetable trimmings into
dark, rich compost in just a couple of months.
It's inexpensive because you can use a storage tub, a trash can, or simply pile it in a corner of your yard.
And, composting can save you money because you have less trash to go to the curb, you don't have to
buy expensive mulch from the garden store, and it makes plants thrive. You create a rich fertilizer and in
a small amount of time your composted scraps become a nutrient-rich addition to your garden, plants,
and other landscaping.
Short-Circuit Your E-Waste, Recycle!
When people just throw away electronics it is a waste of very valuable, recyclable resources. Most
components in electronic equipment, including the hazardous components, can be safely recycled
through proper recycling companies. Disposal is not the answer! It has been estimated that 1 3,000
computers are disposed of every day in the U.S.
Electronic equipment is replaced almost on a daily basis due to upgrades, new features, and changing
lifestyles. The impact on the environment of all these products that are no longer wanted or usable is
huge. So, when thinking of replacing your electronics, think about whether you can simply upgrade the
item you have, whether you truly need all the new features, and most importantly what you will do with
the electronics you no longer want or need.
Responsible recycling of e-waste keeps both hazardous and usable materials out of landfills. Lead,
mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants can leach out of the electronics and can cause
environmental problems when disposed of improperly.
When choosing to recycle, select a recycler that responsibly handles the e-waste so it does not create
environmental and health problems.
Recycling + School = Cool!
It Adds Up! Many waste materials produced every day in Fairfield County schools -- whether in
classrooms, lunchrooms, art rooms, or elsewhere -- can be re-used and recycled! Think about the many
kinds of paper, food containers, printer ink cartridges, and unique items that are in your school that
could be separated from the trash easily.

Fairfield County Recycling

P.O. Drawer 60, Winnsboro, South Carolina
(803) 635-2740
Fairfieldsc.com
4

Almost half of the trash produced at schools is clean paper. In 2008, only 57% of all the discarded paper in
the US was recycled; we can do better! Using both sides of a sheet of paper for written work, printing, and
copying is important. Share handouts when you can. Encourage classmates to purchase school supplies
(notebooks, pencils, backpacks, folders, and more) made with recycled materials. Reduce the waste
created in the lunchroom by packing a lunch with reusable containers and utensils. How many cool ways
can you reuse a cardboard box at school? An aluminum can collection drive is a good way to earn some
money for school clubs and activities, like planting trees on the playground.
For more information, go to: www.paperreycles.org and www.epa.gov/recyclecity/school.htm
Recycling Has Benefits Beyond the Bin
Climate change is a long term shift in the recorded patterns of weather. Climate change affects more than
just a change in temperature, precipitation, humidity, or wind. It also affects seasonal changes over a long
period of time. Because so many systems are tied to climate, it plays a fundamental role in shaping natural
ecosystems, plant and animal lives, how and where people live, food production, availability and use of
water, and health risks.
How it works: Atmospheric gases called greenhouse gasses affect the Earth's climate by trapping in heat
and keeping the planet warm. As the Earth gets warmed by the sun and puts off heat, these greenhouse
gases trap it, holding the heat near the surface of the Earth. This is called the greenhouse effect. As levels
of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere rise, such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2), they trap in more heat.
Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas adds CO2 to the atmosphere beyond what is normal for
the planet and contributes to climate change.
So what does this have to do with recycling? As we know, the lifecycle of a product includes raw
materials, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal. All of these stages produce CO 2. In addition,
when organic waste decomposes in landfills, it produces a greenhouse gas called methane, which is 20
times more powerful at trapping in heat than CO 2. Goods made from recycled material mean less energy
needed to extract, transport, and process raw materials. This results in a smaller energy demand and fewer
greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere. Recycling diverts waste from landfills and makes use of
materials by turning them into valuable resources.
For more information, go to: http:llepa.govlclimatechangelwycdlwaste/

Background
Recycling involves the separation and collection of materials for processing and remanufacturing into new
products, and the use of the products to complete the cycle. Much of the aluminum, glass, paper and steel
used for packaging today is already recycled. Half the nation's aluminum cans are made from recycled
aluminum, and one quarter of the raw fibers used in the paper industry are from recycled paper products.
Glass and steel used in containers can be recycled over and over.

Fairfield County Recycling

P.O. Drawer 60, Winnsboro, South Carolina
(803) 635-2740
Fairfieldsc.com
5

Fairfield County Recycling

Poster Contest

Release Form

THIS FORM MUST BE SECURELY FASTENED TO THE BACK OF EACH POSTER.

Student Name _____________________________________________________________

Home Address _____________________________________________________________
City, State and Zip Code _____________________________________________________
Student/Parent E-mail _______________________________________________________
Student/Parent Home Phone Number (________ ) _______________________________
School/Organization __________________________________________ Grade
Teacher/Contact ___________________________________________________________
Teacher/Contact E-mail _____________________________________________________
School/Organization Address ________________________________________________
City, State and Zip Code _____________________________________________________
Phone Number ( _______ ) ___________________________________________________

I hereby certify that this poster was created entirely by the student above and is the student 's
original artwork and there are no copyrighted characters used. I agree that it may be offered
for public display or publication at some time during or after the contest. I understand that
this poster becomes the property of Fairfield County & SCDHEC of Solid Waste Reduction
and Recycling and may be reproduced. The only information that will be released is the
student 's name, school, grade, and hometown.

________________________________

__________________________________

______________________________________________
Print Name

_________________________________________________
Print Name

______________________________________________
Date

_________________________________________________
Date

Signature of Student

Signature of Parent(s) or Guardian

Fairfield County Recycling

P.O. Drawer 60, Winnsboro, South Carolina
(803) 635-2740
Fairfieldsc.com