presents hope beyond hype for school composting...hope for school composting according to...
TRANSCRIPT
presents
Hope Beyond Hype for School Composting
for
July 11, 2015 Austin, Texas.
This presentation highlights best practices and provides recommendations for any
K‐12 school who wants to start an off‐site composting
program throughout the school or take their current composting and/or resource recovery
program to the next level.
It is based on the progress and lessons learned from 100+ schools from fourschool districts in Central Texas, two of which have been composting andrecycling since 2011.
Overview of the presentation:
1.The Basics: WHO? WHAT? WHERE? HOW? WHY?
2. Quick Start Guide for Composting at Schools
3.The EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy: How‐To for K‐12 schools
WHO?
LeadershipDistrict Initiative/Facilities Department & Principal/AP
Composting Committee: Head Custodian, Cafeteria Manager, Student Group & Sponsor Teacher
Students Participation
Stewards: monitoring bins in classrooms & hallwaysALL: properly composting at lunchtime and beyond2nd‐12th: properly sorting and composting at all times
Custodians Lining, lunchtime and transferring to dumpstersComposting / ZW Ambassadors
Teachers & Administrative
Staff
Continuous educationCoherence in offices and teacher’s lounge
Parents Lunch visitors & lunch monitors Active in school (green) programs for ZW+ programs
Composting & ZW Ambassadors
Green Teams
brigades for
snack bags,drink pouches,
writing instruments…
WHERE TO COMPOST & WHAT?
# BINS+ CO
LOR CO
DE+ SIG
NAG
E
Cafeteria
Food Scraps & Organic Packaging (soiled paper)Milk and Liquids Dilemma 3D‐SIGNS!!!
Kitchen Food Scraps + Paper towels + Parchment paper
Classrooms& Hallways
Breakfast + Afterschool Programs
Bathrooms& Sinks
Paper Towels ONLY
Outdoor &Community Areas
Yard trimmingsComposting bins outdoors?Community Events
# BINS + COLOR CODE + SIGNAGE
# BINS + COLOR CODE + SIGNAGE
HOW?
StandardOperation Procedures
Back of the House: Keep lids closed (critters/divers)
Front of the House: Proper lining / No contamination
Basic Logistics: Bins & signage allocated compost/recycling/refuse
Education
Signage + Videos + Samples + On site composting
Constant reassurance & seasonal EXTRA promo & monitoring
Accountability : District performance measures + staff evaluation
Other Resources: Generations ZERO, EcoRise, Cornell WMIAcademy for Global Citizenship (Chicago),
Connecticut ISD
Goals Reduction and recovery goals are key. Financial: Savings + Purchasing + Grants/Awards
Pre‐K and 1st grade
2nd grade and UP!
On site gardening & demo pile
WHY?
Teachers Class reinforcement with curriculumExplanation at eating times & as part of curriculum
On‐site PhysicalResources
Bulletin BoardCommunity Garden / Plants / Green AreasCompost Pile
Take Away Composting samples and/or little plants for students and ALL personnel
Videos & Tours
THE SOIL : Conservation IntetnationalWindrow composting facilitiesUnderstand the basic processDOs and DON’Ts for school compost bins
Quick Start Guide for Successful Composting at Schools
Adapted from Darby Hoover’s Guide for Composting at Sport Venues
for the
by Daniela Ochoa Gonzalez
1. Snapshot = The Waste Audit
Tonnage, volume and materials discarded vary from school to school
The audit will reveal the sources and the
destinations of your discards and the
percentage that is already recyclable or compostable as well as the percentage
that is already being diverted.
HIGHSCHOOL CAFETERIA AUDIT
PaperCardboardMetalPlasticGlassOrganicsStyrofoamLandfill WasteLiquids
Suggested Resources:
• Oregon Green Schools
• Stop Waste at Schools
• Arizona State University
2. Existing Resources
Resources & Staff:Collection cost/personnel? Any diversion? Yard Trimmings?
Infraestructure
Are there any available or underutilized spaces for recycling or composting bins?
3. Service Providers: Can your hauler handle compost? Recycling? Restriction items?
4. Negotiate a composting hauling contract and plan a composting budget accordingly
5. Map out your additional composting receptacle needs.
6. Minimize waste from trays, cutlery and other food serving products and maximize compostable products when packaging is unavoidable.
7. Train kitchen staff, custodians and teachers on composting Procedures.
8. Keep track of material management progress.
9. Consider sponsorship, ambassadors and other incentives .
10. Educate and involve staff, parents, teachers and students in your initiative.
11. Get a goal and date and Celebrate success by milestones!!
Great separation!
Serious contamination!
Waste reduction starts in the Kitchen! Need Food Preparation Managers on board
Lead by example…teacher’s lounge
How to REALLY measure success?
Do you really need to provide it?
Hope for School Composting
According to greenschoolsolutions.com2.3 pounds per student per month composting
3.6 pounds per student per month of recycling
2,570,795 pounds from AISD 2014
1,960,893 pounds from Austin, Hays, Plugerville, Roundrock, San Marcos and 2 private schools just from September to December.
Houston has great potencial!
New York – L.A. – Chicago – Miami Dallas – Orlando – Houston?
