This highly interactive exhibit was specially designed for kids or families to learn about household hazardous waste and have fun at the same time. It is available on a limited basis to large environmentally oriented community fairs and school district events. The exhibit requires volunteer staffing, a covered space and pre-use training.
About the exhibit:
Four, seven-foot-high, brightly colored panels convey a succinct message, introducing the problem of household hazardous waste and offering specific solutions. Panel one text reads: "Did you know that there are products you use that can hurt YOU, your FAMILY, and the ENVIRONMENT!?" Children hunt for three scenes illustrating these dangers in the panel's cartoon graphic. They can also stick their hands into the storm drain pipe shown in the cartoon and feel a slimy sewage substitute. Real containers of a pesticide, antifreeze, and motor oil are velcro'd onto the board for clear visual recognition, easy removal and handling.
"Read the labels!" heads the second panel, accompanied by fifteen over-sized examples of product label warnings. The third panel is a game that builds on this message. Players race a timer as they study a photo collage of hazardous and safe household products mounted on a metal board. The race continues as they hunt for the warning words caution, warning, and danger on the product photos, and place magnets marked with these words (and the word safe) on the appropriate product picture. "Guess what? There is safer stuff," reads the last panel. Kids spin a wheel that stops on messages of safer things to do and safer stuff to buy. Adults wanting take-home information find a literature rack built into the last panel.
The messages are reinforced with two more games. One is modeled on Concentration and Memory; players turn over game tiles and try to remember where matching tiles are found. Tile graphics reinforce household hazardous waste concepts. The second game is an oversized jigsaw puzzle that measures ~ 3ft. by 4 ft. When completed it forms a maze of a house; to complete the maze, players must pass through six danger scenes related to problems with hazardous household products.
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