Partners in Education

The City of Eugene invests in our community by partnering with local education institutions, nonprofits, and community groups to promote waste prevention and resource conservation for residents of all ages. The following organizations listed below receive City funding to provide services to Eugene residents.

Highlights include: 

Waste Prevention and Composting Education and Resources

WP Ed materials

To support students participating in full or partially remote learning over the past school year, City Waste Prevention staff partnered with Lane County Waste Management and both Eugene school districts to create and deliver at-home waste prevention education materials. Bilingual recycling information and residential food waste program information were distributed to 6,909 student households across both districts in 2021.  These materials, in the form of refrigerator magnets, reusable produce bags, and more, align with existing waste prevention curriculum in local schools and highlight City programs, such as Eugene’s curbside recycling and residential food waste collection services.  

Eugene 4J and Bethel School District Support

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To reach students participating in full or partially remote learning over the past school year, waste prevention education modules were modified for a virtual learning environment. Educators in both districts worked to create waste prevention and composting education video series, virtual field trips, environmental education webpages and other resources for students and teachers.  

Final report-out of 4J and Bethel waste prevention and composting education activities can be accessed here for the most recent school year. 

Highlights of waste prevention and food waste diversion in each district are available.  

Operational assistance through the Love Food Not Waste (LFNW) program: download the LFNW school training manual.

Waste Prevention and science based conservation including STEM learning resources can be found here at 4J’s EWEB Education Partnership website!


School Garden Project of Lane County

Garden lesson SGP

During the 2020-21 school year, School Garden Project  (SGP) provided a variety of online and in person garden-based STEM instruction for K-5 students in 14 Bethel and 4J schools. 

Since many students were learning virtually in the 2020-2021 school year, school gardens did not utilize Love Food Not Waste compost as in previous years but this local product made from Eugene area food and yard waste will return to school gardens in 2021-2022.

View videos of SGP’s work which are available on their YouTube channel.

Highlights of SGP’s work (PDF download) are also available.


University of Oregon $CORE Program 

Observers tour a tiny home village under construction

The SCORE Program supports home energy efficiency in Eugene, OR by providing low-income residents and rental properties in the EWEB service territory free energy efficiency assessments for their homes.  

The program is a partnership between Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB), the City of Eugene, and the University of Oregon Office of Sustainability.  In 2020-2021, this work was performed by students who in addition to remote energy assessments engaged in research, writing, and support projects related to energy efficiency.  

View a report on the energy assessment work performed by $CORE.


OSU Extension Services

Compost Specialists getting feedstocks ready for demonstration video

Did you know that over 52% of Eugene households backyard compost?

OSU Extension in Lane County provides free compost demonstrations for community members at a variety of sites in Eugene.

View a draft version of the compost demonstration schedule (downloadable PDF) to learn how to get your own compost system up and running!  Please note, the final schedule will be available in 2022, so check back for updates.