Students learn about compost; “Outdoor education STEMs into great learning opportunity” (CC BY 2.0) by USACE HQ

by Christine Yott on March 28, 2018

School food waste management: putting it all together

This is the last article in our series about managing food waste from school lunch. We previously discussed the following subjects:

• how much school food waste there is and why,
• methods to reduce school food waste, and
• options for donating and composting school food waste.

Here we highlight success stories from schools that have lowered their food waste. We discuss only those stories where the school programs' planning and implementation steps are available. The following steps are common to success stories.

1. A champion recognizes the problem.
2. The champion works with a school staff member to organize interested parents, teachers, administrators, and students.
3. The newly assembled group meets and generates concrete program goals.
4. The group communicates the program to students and parents.
5. Students take an active role in the program.
6. The school food waste program starts out small and later expands.

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Bishop Marshall Academy in Morrisville, VT

What is their success story?

This school composts about 2,520 pounds of food waste each year. Students lead the effort, giving them hands-on leadership experience.

How did they do it?

Planning:

• The fourth-grade teacher formed a compost squad with students. is a public charity that works with schools to set up food donations. The teacher revived a previous compost program with the help of students.
• The compost squad participated in a workshop. The workshop taught student volunteers how to compost food waste.
• The compost squad created and performed a skit for younger students. The brief skit taught composting to kindergarten through third grade students.

Implementing:

• Students monitor food separation. The compost squad ensures each school lunch item goes in the correct bin.
• Students weigh food waste, post the results, and empty the bin into the compost pile. Classes can clearly see their progress in reducing food waste from the posted results.
• The school continues to assess ways to improve. The school switched from Styrofoam to biodegradable trays. They are also considering composting at an offsite farm to lower the amount of work required of students and staff.

Sources — VT School-To-Farm Composting Program

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Gateway School in Santa Cruz, CA

What is their success story?

This school reduced waste by close to 35% just by teaching how to make zero-waste, home-packed lunches. They later expanded by starting a student composting program.

How did they do it?

Planning:

• Concerned parents observed food waste and approached the head of school. The journey began with a group of parents concerned about food going in the trash. They researched a local waste-free lunch program and discussed it with the head of school¹.
• The head of school reached out to faculty. Interested faculty met with the parents to discuss starting a waste-free lunch program¹.
• The group made concrete goals and assigned responsibilities. The goal sheet defined what they wanted to accomplish. Then, the group assigned responsibilities to specific members. Each member received a list with everyone's phone numbers and email addresses. They assigned one member as the point person to communicate with the school community¹.

Implementing:

• The school program started small and grew when they were ready. The group started the program in 2002 by focusing on home-packed lunches¹. They later expanded the program and began composting².
• The program gives roles to students. Students collect food and add it to the compost pile. Teachers integrate food waste discussions into the curriculum to generate conversation. Fifth grade students present to third graders about composting².

Sources

1. Waste-free Lunches story
2. City of Santa Cruz Public Works newsletter

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Oak Hills Elementary School in Ventura County, CA

What is their success story?

This school reduced daily waste from lunch and snacks from 8 barrels of trash to 1 barrel. The waste includes non-food items such as disposable containers.

How did they do it?

Planning and implementing:

• The school principal recognized that most lunch waste was preventable¹. The principal saw that most trash from school lunch was recyclable. This included water bottles, plastic bags, and paper products.
• The waste-free lunch program set some rules/guidelines. The school program encourages reusable containers and cloth napkins, among other items².
• Student volunteers monitor trash lines. The volunteers ensure students place items in the correct bin¹.

Sources

1. Waste-free Lunches article
2. Waste-free Lunches Success Stories

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Phillippi Shores Elementary in Sarasota, FL

What is their success story?

This school reduced waste from lunch by 36% and separated compostable items. The overall waste reduction includes non-food items such as disposable containers.

How did they do it?

Planning:

• A parent volunteer spearheaded the effort¹. A parent volunteer led the effort, together with the student council, parent–teacher association, and school staff².
• Volunteers created a timeline to launch the school program². The timeline included tasks, deadlines, and responsible parties.
• The group launched an awareness campaign². The campaign informed students of waste facts through announcements and posters. The materials also discussed a contest to see which class could reduce their lunch waste the most.
• Parents received a letter about the campaign with ideas to reduce school lunch waste². The letter included side-by-side boxes showing what to pack and what to avoid. The letter also had school lunch food waste facts and information on the contest.

Implementing:

• A contest occurred, with the results announced to the school². Volunteers weighed lunch waste prior to and on the contest day. Third grade students had the least amount of waste per student and fourth grade students achieved the largest waste reduction.
• The project lead continues to improve the school program². The next steps are to make recycling collection easier and to find a compost contractor.

Sources

1. Herald-Tribune article
2. Waste-free Lunches Success Stories

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West Side School in Healdsburg, CA

What is their success story?

The school diverts 15–20% of its total waste stream by composting school lunch.

How did they do it?

Planning:

• The school asked for a lunch period recycling coordinator¹. The school decided to start a composting program in 2003 when they learned their food waste went to the landfill².
• A parent helped build 4 worm composting bins³. Building your own compost bin is a way to save money when starting your school program. Learn more about different composting systems.

Implementing:

• The program sells its compost to make money. The school raises about $1,000 each year by selling their compost at the local farmers market³.
• The school inspired a regional composting program. The Compost Club is a nonprofit organization that helps local schools run their own compost programs¹.

Sources

1. The Compost Club webpage
2. US Composting Council presentation on social change
3. Rural school waste case studies

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