About Stan

 Kansas City based artist and educator Stan Slaughter, The Eco-Troubadour, has been traveling the country singing songs and sharing stories with kids and adults since 1987.   An award-winning educator, Stan combines his folk-rock guitar and rich baritone voice with an anthology of great songs from all over North America to create memorable experiences for all.

Stan has been active in Environmental Education since he skipped class with his students in 1970 and spent the first Earth Day cleaning up the school yard. Speaking at Master Gardeners’ groups, teaching adults in Compost Workshops, singing at Water Festivals and Zoos, and doing thousands of assemblies for more than 450,000 students, Stan takes his message to both kids and grownups – and makes it fun along the way. Who can take themselves too seriously singing a song like “Put Me In the Compost Pile”?

Far from predicting doom and gloom, Eco-Troubadour Stan focuses on hope and empowerment in the face of sometimes troubling events.    New songs like “One Step (Just Take One Step)” and “Now We Know” are part of the Green school assembly, encouraging conservation and creative thinking, and inspiring young people to find hope and take action.

At the same time, Stan has been presenting adult workshops and programs at the regional Kansas Works! conference, at the US Composting Council National Conference, at America Recycles Day in Florida, and more.   Principles of organic recycling, energy conservation, and knowledge of the practical aspects as well as the larger picture permeate Stan’s work with both adults and children.

To support his work in the world, Stan has created a series of five environmentally-themed music albums as well as numerous other educational and fun products. Compost Gin, a card game, is a national bestseller, and the Compost Poster and the Worm Compost Poster are displayed on many agency, classroom, and family walls.

A two-time cancer survivor, Stan has a passion for life and for this beautiful planet, and a new lease on sharing that passion with others through songs and talks.

“You know we’re all connected… you and me..

from the snow on mountaintop to the fish in the bottom of the deep blue sea…” 

——from “We’re All Connected” by Stan Slaughter

A former NCAA Division 1 basket ball player whose team made the Sweet 16, Stan is a lifetime athlete who has climbed 11-14,000 foot mountains in Colorado after he turned 65.

Stan and his wife, Linda Chubbuck, own Tall Oak Productions, LLC, a small business committed to teaching the principles of interconnectedness and living in harmony with each other and the planet, through products and services that uplift, inspire and educate.

STAN’S AWARDS and HONORS INCLUDE

Stan was chosen by HRH Prince Charles to present a workshop on Composting at the Prince’s Sustainability Estate, Highgrove Gardens near Tetbury, U.K. April 15th, 2016. Read the story on Stan’s blog about the event.

  • Statewide Solid Waste Educator, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (from 1996-2017)
  • Recycling Hall of Fame, State of Kansas    (2006)
  • Mid-America Regional Council Recycling Hall of Fame (2005)
  • Lee’s Summit High School Hall of Fame, Lee’s Summit, Missouri (2002)
  • Educator of the Year, United States Compost Council (2000)
  • Governor’s Waste Reduction Award, Kansas Department of Health & Environment (1997)
  • Environmental Educator of the Year, State of Missouri Region VII, US EPA (1995)
  • Excellence in Environmental Communications, Sierra Club (1994)
  • Junior High Science Teacher of the Year, Great Kansas City (1976)
  • Partner, Tall Oak Productions LLC, Lee’s Summit, MO (consultation and education, 2003-present)

PUBLICATIONS and APPEARANCES

5 albums of environmentally-themed educational/entertainment music

  • Over 4200 appearances to more than 450,000 adults and students at schools, conferences, workshops in 25 states.
  • Educational publications including Compost Gin Card Game, The Compost Learning Guide, Compost Posters, The Compost Toilet Guidebook
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EDUCATION

  • A. in Biology, UMKC 1975
  • A. Education, full NAIA basketball scholarship, Rockhurst College, Kansas City, MO 1969
  • Full NCAA basketball scholarship, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 1965-67