(a) For purposes of this part, the following definitions shall apply:

1. (1) “Department” means the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.
2. (2) “Office” means the Office of Education and the Environment of the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, as established pursuant to this section.
3. (3) “Program” means the statewide environmental education program prescribed in this part.

(c) The office, under the direction of the department, in cooperation with the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, shall develop and implement a unified education strategy on the environment for elementary and secondary schools in the state. The office shall develop a unified education strategy to do all of the following:

1. (1) Coordinate instructional resources and strategies for providing active pupil participation with onsite conservation efforts.
2. (2) Promote service-learning opportunities between schools and local communities.
3. (3) Assess the impact to participating pupils of the unified education strategy on pupil achievement and resource conservation.