k12|2 boston public schools recycling, phoebe bierle

R3 ConferenceApril 8, 2014

Boston Public Schools

130 Buildings

58,000 students

86 satellite cafeterias

~$1 mill in annual trash collection

Boston Public School District

Boston’s Recycling Team

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Cafeteria: The State of Affairs4

Cafeteria Waste

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• Free breakfast & afternoon snack for students

access nutrition waste

• Compostable Trays

health env impact waste

School Waste Audits

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% of trash that could be recycled (single stream and cartons)

School Waste Audit Reports

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Cafeteria: Waste Management Opportunities

Single Stream Recycling – Bulky Items

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• Metal and cardboard (from back of house)

• Clean paper trays

• Cartons (milk and juice)

Carton Recycling Campaign

• It is estimated that BPS students consume 13 million milk cartons per year, filling 403 dumpsters and costing us over $20,000 annually!

• BPS received a $5,0000 grant from the Carton Council to launch the Carton Recycling Campaign - 25 schools in the pilot!

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Cafeteria Recycling Set Up – Best Practices

5 Gallon Bucket for Milk

Grey barrel with liner

Blue recycling barrel for trays and milk cartons

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Cafeteria Recycling Set Up – Best Practices

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Cafeteria Recycling Set Up – Best Practices

Share Table & Reuse Art Projects

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Green Purchasing

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• Massachusetts Environmentally Preferable Products

• State Cooperatives• The Education Cooperative (TEC) provides a cooperative

purchasing service• Hampshire Purchasing Cooperative

• Green Purchasing Opportunities: Compostable Food Service Ware (prepared for Washington State)http://www.responsiblepurchasing.org/private/naspo/oas/compostable_service_ware.pdf

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We only get one chance!

EDUCATE & Leverage Resources

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• Educate! Educate! Educate! Celebrate! Educate!

• MassDEP Sustainable Materials Recovery Program Grants – apply by June 11th

• The Green Team (Mass DEP) (http://www.thegreenteam.org/)

• Carton Council (http://www.recyclecartons.com)

• New York City Resources•The Full Story - http://www.sosnyc.org/FullStory.html•Cafeteria Culture - http://www.cafeteriaculture.org/•Grow NYC - http://www.grownyc.org/recyclingchampions

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Phoebe Beierle – pbeierle@bostonpublicschools.org

Jessica Feldish – jfeldish@bostonpublicschools.org

www.bostongreenschools.org