Environmental Defenders Rock the Planet – It’s Up to You Tour
The Environmental Defenders assembly is a 30-minute, high-energy assembly program that is free to all elementary schools in LA County. This exciting, music-driven assembly encourages students in grades TK-5 to identify environmental issues and actions kids can take themselves to reduce and prevent pollution.
Performed by professional actors and their animated friends the Environmental Defenders, this fully contained assembly uses music, call-and-response, audience participation and repetition to effectively communicate environmental concepts including:
- The Four R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink)
- Organic Waste Recycling
- Stormwater Pollution Prevention
- Proper Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste
- Water Conservation
- Landfills
Sponsored by Los Angeles County, the Environmental Defenders assembly program has been educating elementary school children since 1996. The current version of the show, the Environmental Defenders Rock the Planet — It’s Up to You Tour, launched in April 2023 featuring new video elements and messaging.
Proven Effective: How the Environmental Defenders Assembly Boosts Student Knowledge and Action
A 2024 research study* of students who saw the Environmental Defenders assembly showed students not only walked away with a stronger understanding of key environmental concepts but were also inspired to take action and share what they learned.
The study measured students’ environmental knowledge before and after seeing the Environmental Defenders assembly. The results showed a clear and measurable increase in student knowledge and a positive shift in environmental behaviors after attending the assembly.
Here are some highlights of the positive changes observed after students saw the Environmental Defenders assembly:
- Students are Talking About It! 60% of students reported talking to their family or friends about what they learned at the assembly.
- Taking Action for the Environment! Half of students (50%) reported that they did more to protect the environment after seeing the assembly.
The Environmental Defenders assembly significantly improved students’ understanding of environmental topics:
- Where Does Our Trash Go? 32% more students (76% total) correctly identified “landfills” as the destination for garbage.
- Organic Waste Recycling:
- 13% more students (56% total) understood that grass and leaves could be recycled.
- 6% more students (56% total) understood that food waste could be recycled.
- Understanding Stormwater Pollution:
- 23% more students (72% total) understood that water from streets going into storm drains ends up in streams, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
- 9% more students (81% total) identified “don’t throw garbage in the street” as the best solution to stormwater pollution.
- Hazardous Waste and E-Waste Awareness:
- 27% more students (76% total) recognized cleaning supplies as household hazardous waste.
- 19% more students (56% total) recognized old cell phones as e-waste.
- 5% more students (81% total) recognized motor oil as household hazardous waste.
- 29% more students (54% total) understood that household hazardous waste should be taken to a collection event instead of being thrown in the garbage.
- Knowing Who to Call: 36% more students (80% total) identified 888-CLEAN-LA as the phone number to call for information on garbage, recycling, or household hazardous waste.
- Taking Action:
- 12% more students (45% total) reported recycling food waste and 8% more (43% total) reported recycling grass and leaves.
- 10% more students (62% total) reported using reusable containers instead of sandwich bags.
*Study designed by RAND Corporation researchers and conducted by Goodwin Simon Strategic Research for Los Angeles County Public Works.
Spread the Word
Let others know about this exciting assembly program! Share this flyer with your school.
Curious where we’ve been? Click here to check out the schools we visited in Los Angeles County during the 2024–2025 school year.
Map of schools visited during 2024-2025 year.
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