New Spokane children’s book teaches kids how to turn waste into energy

February 28, 2022 4:31 PM

Posted: February 28, 2022 4:31 PM

Credit: City of Spokane

SPOKANE, Wash. — One local artist is showing kids how essential some city workers can be to Spokane.

The recently released children’s book Exploring Spokane: Turning Waste to Energy, by local artist Corinna Ren, describes the city’s waste management and how it’s important. The book illustrates garbage collection, transportation, and how its disposed of in a waste to energy facility.

The Exploring Spokane series hopes to explain how Spokane’s public works departments function and why they are needed. Local educators are incorporating the book into their curriculum to connect science topics to regional operations and issues.

“Our kids will love these books and we will be sure to use them for our instruction,” said 5th-grade teacher Allison Muncie. “They look like such a great resource and learning is always more meaningful when you can make a connection to it. These Spokane books will surely do that!”

A second book about how Spokane’s water system works is scheduled to come out in 2022.

“The unsung heroes of our community are those city employees who work to make sure we have clean drinking water, manage our wastewater, and ensure that our garbage is collected and disposed of responsibly,” said Marlene Feist, Director of Public Works. “This book tackles the topic of trash in a fun and interactive way.”

If you would like your own copy of the book, you can fill out an online form here. You can pick it up in person at the Administration Building of the Waste to Energy Facility at 2900 S. Geiger Blvd. It’s open Monday through Friday between 8 am and 5 pm

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