They know what a landfill is. The hands-on presentations are tailored to each age group. Since young children relate well to animals, speakers first ask them what animals they've seen locally. Well, you haven't really seen dragons and dinosaurs, the kids are reminded when they come up with farfetched examples. On second thought, they remember the foxes and coyotes they've spotted.
Speakers demonstrate how to make toys from trash.
An empty bleach bottle becomes a piggy bank or scoop to catch bean bags. Speakers also hand out products made from recylables, such as writing paper, note pads, and pencils made from cardboard. As part of the National Civilian Community Corps, Opliger has been named unit leader of five teams made up of 11 volunteers each. The San Diego-based corps campus is one of four in the United States. Up to 3,000 copies of the suggested curriculum will be sent to junior and high school teachers throughout the county.