Texas Disposal Systems’ Eco Academy program wins Best of Green Schools Award!
(TDS) is excited to share Eco Academy has been named the Business Leader Winner of the Center for Green Schools “Best of Green Schools 2025” award.
Austin, Texas — Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) is excited to share Eco Academy has been named the Business Leader Winner of the Center for Green Schools “Best of Green Schools 2025” award.
This year’s Best of Green Schools winners, presented by Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Green Schools National Network (GSNN), recognizes top schools, school districts, lawmakers and others who work to advance safer and more resilient schools across communities. This year’s recipients represent some of the most engaged individuals and organizations in the green schools movement and we are so proud that our Eco Academy program has been recognized as the leader in school recycling in the nation.
“Through its Eco Academy program, Texas Disposal Systems is a great example of how a local business can have a big impact on the community it serves,” says Anisa Heming, Director at the Center for Green Schools. “The program prioritizes community involvement, with students and families engaging in composting, recycling, and diversion practices, which create healthier communities in Central Texas.”
Eco Academy is an education program of Texas Disposal Systems designed to help minimize waste in Central Texas schools by educating K-12 students about trash, recycling and composting options on their campuses. The program provides training, TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) aligned environmental science curriculum, along with signage and educational materials for staff, administrators, and students with the goal of making recycling fun and enabling real-world application.
Each school’s diversion participation and total tonnage diverted from landfills is documented, and diversion data is made available on the Eco Academy website for each district via a personalized login. With these reports, participants can see firsthand how their actions are affecting positive change and can even enjoy healthy competitions between classrooms and other schools in their district.
“For more than a decade Eco Academy has made a lasting cultural impact from kindergarten students to seniors in high school for environmental responsibility,” says Rick Fraumann, Vice President of Sales and Growth at Texas Disposal Systems. “Many organizations teach recycling and composting, but Eco Academy has the added value of a real-life laboratory with a “hands-on” experience where students learn by participating in numerous ways, not just from an academic point of view.
The TDS Eco Academy program is continuing to grow. Some of the ways the program is continuing its success and outreach includes:
- The creation of the Waste Audit Award for Top Performing Schools. Eco Academy created this award to recognize schools with the highest waste diversion rates within their district.
- In partnership with Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), Eco Academy is introducing the Eco Warrior Grant. This grant is a new initiative that will provide funding to assist environmental education projects, awarding up to $5,000 to elementary schools within TDS-serviced ISDs.
- The program is utilizing Eco Visor, a data collection tracking tool to measure the diversion results each school in the program is contributing to.
- Eco Academy leads a Mulch Fundraiser Program with TDS affiliated company, Garden-Ville. This fundraiser enables schools to raise funds by selling a variety of mulches, providing a meaningful way for students to engage their communities.
Additionally, as part of the Eco Academy program, the TDS team hosts comprehensive training for teachers, staff and students, and creates and distributes signage in the schools they serve. They also offer materials, curriculum, and activity sheets to the members in the program.
“In addition to providing composting and recycling services that keep our waste out of the landfill, TDS sees the value in educational programming through its Eco Academy that offers real-world learning opportunities for our students,” says Darien G. Clary, MPH, Sustainability Director at Austin Independent School District. “Through the composting and recycling data, excellent zero waste trainings, lesson plans, and tailored initiatives, TDS is a great partner to engage our students in experiences that show they can have positive and meaningful impact in their schools, communities, and planet.”
The TDS Eco Academy program currently works with 13 independent school districts, 290 campuses, and over 200,000 students across Central Texas. For more information about Eco Academy, visit https://www.ecoacademy.org/.
About TDS Eco Academy
At Texas Disposal Systems (TDS), we strive to make a long-lasting and positive investment in the future. We also believe the future starts with today’s students; which is why we started the TDS Eco Academy program. TDS Eco Academy is a program designed to help minimize waste in Central Texas schools by educating K-12 students about trash, recycling and composting options on their campuses. To learn more about the Eco Academy program, we invite you to continue exploring our website. If you have any questions regarding whether your school is eligible to participate, please contact us at https://www.ecoacademy.org/contact/.
About Texas Disposal Systems
Founded by Bob Gregory, Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) is one of the largest independently owned solid waste collection, processing, and disposal companies in the nation. Our fully integrated facility incorporates solid waste disposal, compost production and recycling operations. We provide the highest quality and most environmentally friendly services in the best interests of our customers, employees, and the community. Learn more about how TDS helps communities, organizations and schools manage and divert waste to beneficial uses at TexasDisposal.com.
About Center for Green Schools
The Center for Green Schools is a global leader in advancing green schools, providing school districts and education leaders with resources and training to create sustainable, healthy, resilient and equitable learning environments. We support and train those implementing sustainability within school systems to be the most effective change agents they can be, through professional development, peer networks, research, and advocacy. Learn more at centerforgreenschools.org.