Dear SOLVE IT Event Coordinator: First of all, THANK YOU for your

Dear SOLVE IT Event Coordinator:
First of all, THANK YOU for your tireless dedication and hard work on this year’s SOLVE IT Project. It
has been our pleasure to work with you, and we have learned a lot from you. Please take a minute to
look at the event coordinator packet prepared for you.
In the packet, you will find:
 Event Coordinator’s Checklist – This is a great resource for the day of the event, for even the most
experienced of you. Please follow the steps outlined on the form as you proceed through your
project.
 Education Information – Educating your volunteers about the impact of the work is just as important
as the on-the-ground difference you make. Let me know if you would like assistance improving this
aspect of your project.
 Safety Information – Safety of volunteers is all-important and should take precedence over any
other plans. In addition to receiving safety information in his or her confirmation email, volunteers
should receive verbal safety instruction at the time of check in. (English & Spanish)
 Emergency Notification Procedure
 Community Service Certification Form – provide this form when requested by volunteers
completing community service hours for school or the court.
 Day of Event Report Form – Please remember to call (503-844-9571 or 1-800-333-SOLVE [7658]
toll-free in Oregon), fax (866-590-7658) or drop off your results on the Day of Event Report Form as
early as possible, by 3:00 p.m. at the latest. The deadline allows us to send out a statewide press
release before the evening news about all of your accomplishments.
Please reinforce to parents and adult youth group leaders that it is their responsibility to supervise youth
on your project at all times.
Please designate a registration coordinator who will remain near check in throughout the morning to help
newly arriving volunteers.
SOLVE staff will be stationed in the office during the week from 8:30am-5pm and on Saturday, April
20th, from 8am until 5 pm. If you have questions or need help, call us at 503-844-9571 x 321 or 1-800333-SOLV (7658) toll-free in Oregon. Please have patience and flexibility, but know that we will be
available to work with you on any issues that arise.
Please return all signed volunteer waivers, receipts for grant reimbursement, and unused supplies by
Monday, April 29th. And please emails us photos so we may share your stories (we use photos for a
thank-you slide show)! Again, thank you for your help and support. Have a great time, and we look
forward to hearing from you on the day of the event.
Sincerely,
Quintin Bauer
SOLVE Program Coordinator
503-844-9571 ext. 321
[email protected]
SOLVE Project Application – Expectations and Responsibilities
Thank you for your interest in leading a project with SOLVE! The most successful projects are the result of a
partnership between SOLVE and you, the Event Coordinator. Please take a moment to read through the list
below as understanding project expectations and responsibilities ahead of time will ensure your project runs as
smoothly as possible. The list details the support and resources that SOLVE currently offers Event
Coordinators, and the required and optional steps for you to take to assure the success of your project. If you
have any questions about these roles, please call your Program Coordinator.
SOLVE Support
Event Coordinator
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Project planning support from SOLVE staff
Project Planning Resource Guide
Online registration and waivers for volunteers
Property permission waivers
Marketing materials
 Promotional Poster / Brochure (printed)
 Flyers (Electronic Editable)
Site Supplies
 Garbage/Recyclable material collection bags
 Vinyl Gloves
 Safety vests
 First aid kits
 Sharps containers & Tongs
 Site signage
 Educational Signage
Statewide event promotion
 News releases
 Media follow-up calls
Volunteer recruitment assistance
 Website publicity
 E-update publicity
 Outreach to volunteers (individuals and
groups)
Limited number of reimbursable small grants
for $100 to cover eligible supplies
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Project Planning
 Identify project & scope of work
 Submit project application
 Determine supply, tool and equipment needs
 Determine number of volunteers needed
 Arrange for proper disposal/recycling of waste
 Manage budget
 Secure property permission form for site
Volunteer Recruitment
 Recruit the volunteers needed for your project,
let SOLVE know if you’d like assistance
 Distribute flyers, notify local community
calendars and group lists, etc.
Event Day
 Supervise volunteer check-in and safety
orientation
 Ensure all participants sign a waiver form
 Dispose of waste/recycling properly
 Thank volunteers!
Post-Event
 Report project results to SOLVE staff
 Mail volunteer waiver forms to SOLVE
OPTIONAL/SUGGESTED:
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Project Planning
 Apply for small grant from SOLVE
 Request local donations
Volunteer recognition
 Request local donations for snacks / gifts
Local Media
 Ask for radio announcements
 Write letters to the editor
 Send a press release to your local paper
SOLVE IT Event Coordinator’s Checklist
Day of the event
 Arrive an hour before start time to set up (and direct early birds!).
 Take the following items with you:
 Table and chair(s) (tape a SOLVE bag to the table and/or your car to identify the check-in
site.)
 Volunteer waivers (provided by SOLVE)
 Pens/masking tape
 Litter bags (provided by SOLVE)
 Vinyl gloves (provided by SOLVE)
 Hazardous material container & tongs (provided by SOLVE)
 First aid kit (provided by SOLVE)
 Snacks and drinking water
 Put up SOLVE bags with arrows on them directing volunteers to the check in table.
 Place SOLVE site signs and education boards prominently
 As people arrive, determine whether they filled out the online waiver using the volunteer registration
information provided by SOLVE. If a volunteer did not register online or declined to sign the online
waiver ask them to sign a paper waiver. A method that works well is to have a few key volunteers
help you with the check in. One person greets people, determines whether they completed the online
waiver, and has them sign a paper waiver if necessary. Then the volunteers are passed to another
key volunteer who gives them the safety talk and “glove and gear” check and does any
demonstrations necessary. Then a key volunteer directs them to a particular work area and gets
them started on the project.
 SOLVE’s mission is not only to improve the environment, but to create a legacy of stewardship that
will last for generations. Including education before, during, and following your event will not only
make the event more enjoyable and fulfilling for the volunteers but also encourage long term
personal changes that will continue to make a positive impact on the environment. Please visit our
educational pages at www.solv.org and pick three to five things you think every volunteer should
learn by participating in your project. These concepts can be delivered informally to volunteers
through actions before, during, and after the event.
 Thank the volunteers for coming; thank our Presenting Sponsor Portland General Electric and
any local groups that helped make your event possible.
 Fill out the Day of Event Form and call in the results before 3:00 pm – 593-844-9571 x 321, or
fax in the form (866-590-7658).
After the event
 Pick up any medical hazardous waste that has been identified. Place them in the hazmat container
and return to SOLVE for proper disposal or deliver them to appropriate disposal locations.
 Send all volunteer waivers, receipts for grant reimbursement, photos, supplies you don’t need and
final accomplishment report to SOLVE by Monday, April 29th.
THANK YOU!
SOLVE IT: Background and Education
Presented by Portland General Electric
SOLVE is working to enhance the experience of all volunteers by improving our
educational materials so that volunteers walk away understanding the positive impacts
they’ve made on our environment. Please read the following background information of
the event, frequently asked questions, and educational messages and where appropriate
feel free to share them with volunteers either formally or informally. This could mean
reading it as part of the event introduction or registration process, or through casual
conversations while volunteers work.
Event background and sponsor recognition:
SOLVE was founded in 1969 by Oregon Governor Tom McCall and other community
leaders to help Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism (S-O-L-V). Also in 1969, the name and
concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConell at a UNESCO
conference in San Francisco. SOLVE IT took root as an event in 2000 and spread to the
entire state in 2010. This year, there will be over 200 projects on Earth Day statewide.
Portland General Electric is proud to be the presenting sponsor of SOLVE IT. Please
help us show our appreciation by letting your volunteers know of their long-time support
of SOLVE IT.
What does the name SOLVE stand for?
Our focus has changed since the acronym was originally developed in 1969, and the word
SOLVE more accurately reflects the actions volunteers take to improve the environment.
Five good reasons to reduce and cleanup trash:
1. Trash travels with the rain over roads and yards into storm drains or ditches, into
a local stream, river, or lake and eventually washes out to sea. 60-80% of trash
found in the ocean is thought to have been originally been thrown out on land.
2. Plastics are forever: Plastic breaks down into tiny pieces that never fully degrade
but are accumulating in areas where currents converge in the middle of the Pacific
Ocean.
3. The small pieces matter - Tiny pieces are mistakenly eaten by birds, marine
mammals, and fish and can cause injury or starvation from a falsely full stomach.
4. Cigarette butts are the most common type of litter found worldwide. Cigarette
filters are made of a type of plastic and do not biodegrade in the environment.
They can introduce toxins into the environment or the food web if eaten by
wildlife.
5. Other impacts of trash include threats to human health and safety (glass shards,
dirty diapers etc), local economies (an eyesore for tourists and it’s expensive to
pick-up), navigational hazards, and habitat damage.
Three good reasons to remove invasive plants along waterways:
1. Restore Oregon’s biodiversity – Invasive plants tend to out-compete the native
plants on which our food web depends (plants, insects, birds, fish, animals), and
create monocultures. Local wildlife has long-established food preferences for
native plants and so many invasive plants grow unchecked.
2. To restore forest layers –A monoculture of one invasive plant does not allow for
the varying heights of forest layers (meadow, shrubs, trees) which are essential
habitat to a variety of insects, birds and other wildlife.
3. Invasive plants can cause bank erosion – Not only do invasive plants create a
monoculture above ground, but also below ground at the root level. When the
roots all reach the same depth, heavy rains can push a whole bank to slough off.
Four good reasons to plant native plants:
1. To provide shade for streams – Cold water holds more dissolved oxygen and
better supports native wildlife, including stronger immune systems in fish.
2. To provide root structure for stream banks – A diversity of native plants adds
varying root depths that hold the soil better than a monoculture like English ivy.
3. Habitat for wildlife – 93% of all wildlife in Oregon utilizes riparian (riverside)
corridors during some point in their life cycle.
4. To filter pollutants from runoff – A diversity of trees and shrubs slow down the
flow of urban and agricultural runoff, and can filter out pollutants, particularly
heavy metals.
SAFETY INFORMATION FOR SOLVE PROJECTS
Safety of our volunteers is all important and takes precedence over all other
planning for SOLVE projects. Please help us make SOLVE events as safe as
possible by carefully reviewing and following these safety tips. Look for
additional safety information in SOLVE materials and on-site at SOLVE projects.
General Safety Tips
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Plan for the weather with layers of clothing, sunscreen, rain gear, etc.
Wear gloves and sturdy shoes.
Work with a partner and watch out for each other’s safety.
Watch out for other volunteers’ safety, especially when working close
together.
Pace yourself, don’t overexert. Take breaks, rest, don’t work continually.
Drink water, eat a snack.
Follow common sense practices when lifting heavy items: use your knees, not
your back.
Fill collection bags only 2/3 full, especially when handling heavy items.
Be sure that you are physically capable of what you intend to do before you
attempt it; ask for help if you need it.
Watch for any heavy equipment, trucks or winches that might be used on-site.
Watch for poison oak, poison ivy, Giant Hogweed, or other plants to which
you may be allergic.
Wear heavy gloves, long sleeves and long pants around blackberry plants.
Leave the site if hazardous conditions, such as disturbed bee hives exist,
especially if you have an allergy or are otherwise susceptible to the
conditions.
Use sunscreen and mosquito repellant when outdoors.
Safety tips for youth volunteers
 Confirm age restrictions for the project site.
 Review safety information and “rules” with youth before arriving at the site.
 Supervise youth activities on site.
When working on the beach
 Watch for sneaker waves: never turn your back on the ocean.
 Stay away from logs in or near the surf.
 Use caution on steep banks and cliffs. Follow posted safety information.
When working around water
 Use caution around swift running water.
 Wear a life jacket when using a boat or raft.
When working near traffic
 Wear a safety vest.
 Stay off the roadway.
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Stop often to orient yourself and make sure you’re not wandering close to
traffic.
When working on steep slopes or banks
 Make sure your footing is stable.
 Stay away from cables that may be used to haul items upward.
When encountering hazardous items: Don’t touch – Mark the item and contact
the Event Coordinator
 Identify each item before you touch it. If you are uncertain about an item,
leave it alone.
 Do not touch medical waste or hazardous materials, including syringe
needles, bandages and condoms.
 Don’t touch containers with unidentified liquid or material in them.
 Don’t touch propane gas tanks. They may be used to manufacture illegal
drugs and can explode.
In case an accident occurs
 Know where the first aid kit is.
 Know where the nearest medical facility is located.
 Know where the nearest phone is. If it’s a cell phone, make sure you have
reception. Dial 9-1-1 if emergency medical care is required – know your
location.
INFORMACION DE SEGURIDAD PARA LOS PROYECTOS DE SOLVE
La seguridad de nuestros voluntarios es de total importancia y prioridad en la
planeación y desarrollo de los proyectos de SOLVE. Por favor ayúdenos a
realizar los eventos de SOLVE lo más seguro posible leyendo y siguiendo
cuidadosamente las siguientes recomendaciones de seguridad.
Busque
información de seguridad adicional en los materiales de SOLVE y en los sitios de
los proyectos.
Recomendaciones generales de seguridad
 Prepárese para el clima con ropa extra (en caso de que requiera un cambio),
protector solar, chaqueta para la lluvia, etc.
 Vista guantes y zapatos adecuados para la actividad.
 Trabaje con un compañero y esté atento a la seguridad de cada uno.
 Esté atento a la seguridad de otros voluntarios, especialmente cuando estén
trabajando cerca.
 Determine su ritmo de trabajo, no se exceda. Tome descansos, no trabaje
continuamente.
 Beba agua y consuma algún alimento durante el desarrollo de la actividad.
 Siga prácticas de sentido común; al levantar artículos pesados use sus
rodillas, no su espalda.
 Llene las bolsas de recolección de basuras solamente hasta 2/3 de su
capacidad total, especialmente cuando esté cargando artículos pesados.
 Asegúrese de tener la capacidad física requerida para llevar a cabo lo que
pretende hacer antes de realizarlo. Pida ayuda si la requiere.
 Tenga cuidado con cualquier equipo pesado, camiones grandes o equipos
que sean utilizados para movilizar objetos.
 Tenga cuidado frente a plantas venenososas (poison ivy, poison oak, giant
hogweed) u otras plantas a las cuales pueda ser alérgico.
 Use guantes adecuados, manga larga y pantalón largo alrededor de plantas
de zarzamora.
 Abandone el sitio en caso de presentarse situaciones riesgosas como
disturbio por panal de abejas, especialmente si tiene alguna alergia o de
alguna forma es susceptible a sus condiciones.
 Use protector solar y repelente para mosquitos cuando esté trabajando en
exteriores.
Recomendaciones de seguridad para voluntarios jóvenes:
 Confirme las restricciones de edad en el sitio del proyecto.
 Lea las “reglas” e información de seguridad antes de arrivar al sitio del
voluntariado.
 Vigile las actividades de jóvenes en el sitio.
Seguridad al trabajar en la playa:
 Esté atento a olas repentinas: nunca de su espalda al oceano.
 Permanezca alejado de troncos dentro o cerca del oleaje.
 Sea cuidadoso en las orillas, abismos y caidas. Siga los mensajes con
información de seguridad.
Al trabajar alrededor del agua:
 Sea cuidadoso en medio de corrientes de agua.
 Vista un chaleco salvavida al usar una lancha o balsa.
Al trabajar cerca al tráfico:
 Vista un chaleco de seguridad.
 Permanezca fuera de la carretera.
 Pare frecuentemente para orientarse personalmente y asegurarse de no
estar caminando cerca al tráfico.
Al trabajar en superficies inclinadas u orillas:
 Asegúrese de que su pisada sea estable.
 Permanezca alejado de cables que puedan ser usados para jalar objetos.
Al encontrar materiales riesgosos:
 No los toque – Márquelos y contacte al coordinador del sitio.
 No toque desperdicios médicos o materiales riesgosos como jeringas y
agujas, bendas y condones.
 No toque contenedores con líquidos o materiales sin identificación.
 No toque tanques de gas propano; éstos pueden ser usados para la
elaboración ilegal de drogas y pueden explotar.
En caso de que se presente un accidente:
 Identifique el sitio con el kit de primeros auxilios.
 Conozca donde está localizado el centro médico más cercano.
 Identifique donde se encuentra el teléfono más cercano. Si es un celular,
asegúrese de tener la salida de tono. Marque 9-1-1 en caso de presentarse
una emergencia médica. Conozca la dirección del sitio.
Emergency Notification Procedure
This procedure does not replace, but is in addition to, your
responsibility to first notify the appropriate medical/fire/emergency
personnel (911) and your manager (i.e. Property Owner/Manager)
SOLVE's Program Coordinator serves as the primary response
coordinator and media contact during an emergency. An emergency may
occur during or be related to a SOLVE-sanctioned event.
An emergency may include, but is not limited to the following:
 Personal injury (volunteer, event coordinator, bystander, passerby,
SOLVE staff, sponsor, or partner)
 Significant hazard
 Crime evidence
 Involvement of law enforcement personnel
Report the incident immediately to:
Quintin Bauer, SOLVE Program Coordinator
Office
Cell Phone
503-844-9571 or 1-800-333-SOLVE (7658) Toll-free in
Oregon
503-308-0412
(Leave a detailed message if no live answer. Include your name, site
location, nature of incident, time of occurrence, and phone number at
which you can be reached.)
Refer all media inquiries to Quintin Bauer
Good judgment shall prevail at all times. If in doubt about whether or not
to report an incident, please report it.
12/17/12
Community Service Credit Form
This is to certify that
,
Name of Student
a student at
,
Name of School
volunteered for _______________________________________________,
Name of SOLVE Program
at the following location:
Project Location
on the following date(s):

Date of SOLVE Event or Project

Date of SOLVE Event or Project

Date of SOLVE Event or Project
This participation should be considered to be the equivalent of a total of
hours of community service credit.
# of Hours
Signed,
Event Coordinator
(
)
Event Coordinator Phone Number
Date
SOLVE IT 2012
Day of Event Report Form
Please call or fax the SOLVE office by 3:00 pm on event day with the following information. It is important that
we receive this information for press releases and media calls. Thank you.
Phone: 503-844-9571 ext. 317 or 1-800-333-SOLV (7658) ext. 317
Fax: 1-866-590-7658
Web: www.solv.org
Project Site Name:
Project Site Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Event Coordinator Name:
-
Event Coordinator Phone:
-
Was this a school-based service-learning project?
Type:
 Home  Bus.  Cell
 Yes  No
Brief description of what was accomplished and/or interesting highlights and stories:
Types and numbers of volunteers who participated:
See information on calculating volunteer numbers on the next page.
Volunteers
Number
Service-Learning Projects Only
Adult Volunteers
Students (Pre-K-Higher Ed)
Youth Volunteers (0-18)
Teachers/School Staff
Total
Total
Number
Names of community groups and/or businesses that participated at your site:
Name of Group or Business
Volunteers ()
Project Planning Reference Guide - Supplemental
(Updated 12/17/2012)
In-Kind or Monetary Donation (list)
© 2006 SOLVE
(Reproduce and use with permission)
SOLVE IT 2012
Calculating Number of Volunteers
Volunteer
Anyone who participates in the event for any amount of time.
 Anyone (adult and/or youth) who registers the day of the event. You may
estimate the numbers in each group.
 Your organizing, planning and “day of event” helpers
 Service club members who prepare/serve free food at the event.
 Haulers who are volunteering their time and services.
 Any business employee who works at your site.
Students
Designate volunteers as “students” only if they are participating in a school-based
service-learning event with a classroom teacher, adult advisors or Americorps
leaders.
Results of your projects:
Items Planted
Quantity
Activities
Quantity
Mulch Spread
Native Trees
Plant/Tree Cages
Native Plants
Weeding around Trees/Plants
Storm Drain Marking
Invasive Plants Removed (names)
Invasive Plants – Square Footage Cleared
Calculating for Invasive Plant Removal
Invasive Plants
Removed
List the names of the invasive species removed at the event.
Sq Ft Cleared
Estimate the square footage cleared of invasive plants for this event. Count the entire
area cleared on the event day, even if the area has been cleared before or is part of
an ongoing restoration effort. 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft.
Project Planning Reference Guide - Supplemental
(Updated 12/17/2012)
© 2006 SOLVE
(Reproduce and use with permission)
SOLVE IT 2012
Geocode #______
Amount and type of debris collected:
Material taken to
Landfill
Material Recycled
or Composted
Quantity
Conversion to Pounds
(see guide below)
Mixed Waste
Hazardous
Waste
# of Tires
Scrap Metal
Car parts
E-waste
Plastics
Glass
Paper
Other
CONVERSION and CALCULATION INFORMATION
Estimated Volume of Garbage
Conversion Measurement
1 SOLVE bag of garbage
30 lbs
100 SOLVE bags
2000 lbs (1 ton)
1 cubic yard of garbage
Dry=400 lbs
20 yard drop box - garbage
Dry=8,000 lbs
30 yard drop box – garbage
Dry=12,000 lbs
Tire – Passenger car
23 lbs
Tire – Light truck
35 lbs
Tire – Semi
105 lbs
Mattress
70 lbs
Washing Machine, Stove
150 lbs
Dryer
125 lbs
Refrigerator
250 lbs
Dishwasher
35 lbs
Shopping Cart
50 lbs
1 case glass beer bottles (24 bottles)
12 lbs
1 case aluminum cans (24 cans)
1 lb
1 cubic yard of plastic bottles
35 lbs
1 cubic yard of flattened cardboard
100 lbs
12 inch stack of newspaper
35 lbs
1 cubic yard of mixed paper
110 lbs
Project Planning Reference Guide - Supplemental
(Updated 12/17/2012)
© 2006 SOLVE
(Reproduce and use with permission)