A partnership between the Orange County Department of Education's Inside the Outdoors and OC Waste & Recycling.
Sample images from the Kindergarten Curriculum
Project Zero Waste (formerly EcoChallenge) is a free K-12 curriculum from Inside the Outdoors, the Orange County Department of Education's environmental education program, offered in partnership with OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR).
The refreshed program helps students explore the importance of waste diversion, recycling, and composting through engaging, hands-on, standards-aligned lessons that connect to real-world environmental careers.
Sign Up to Stay Informed
Project Zero Waste is currently being updated and expanded to include new grade-specific curricula and classroom activities. By signing up, you'll be among the first to receive:
- Grade-specific Project Zero Waste lessons when they're released
- Access to free OCWR classroom resources you can use right away
- Updates on future opportunities and educator workshops
Register Here to Receive Project Zero Waste Resources and Updates
Available Now: Free OCWR Classroom Resources
While the new curriculum is being finalized, you can start exploring waste reduction and recycling with your students today with free downloadable resources provided by OC Waste & Recycling, including:
- Anatomy of a Landfill Poster (available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean)
- Educational Videos: Bad Apples, Angels World Cleanup Day, and Talking Trash Trivia with Wild Wing
- 2025 Activity Book for classroom learning
- Household Hazardous Waste Facts Sheets (English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean)
- Compost Postcard (English, Spanish, Vietnamese)
- What Can I Take to the Landfill?
- Landfill Fact Sheets: Frank R. Bowerman, Olinda Alpha, and Prima Deshecha Landfills
Timeline
- Now: Sign up to receive OCWR resources and Project Zero Waste updates.
- Coming Soon: Release of new grade-level lesson sets and hands-on classroom activities.
- Future: Continued rollout and educator support throughout the school year.
Who Can Participate
- K-12 educators across Orange County
- STEM, CTE, and environmental science educators
- Club advisors and curriculum leads interested in sustainability education
About the Partnership
Project Zero Waste is a collaboration between OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) and Inside the Outdoors, the Orange County Department of Education's (OCDE) award-winning environmental education program.
Together, OCDE and OCWR are committed to empowering Orange County students to become stewards through meaningful, hands-on education that inspires action toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Questions?
For more information about Project Zero Waste or to connect with our team, please email insidetheoutdoors@ocde.us or call (714) 708-3885.
