Composting Lunch Leftovers at Providence Middle School

June 11, 2018

This project focuses on the positive impacts composting has on conserving energy, reducing the carbon footprint, and recycling organic matter back into the Earth and the generation of soil. The idea for the project stemmed from a student idea that came from a 2017 Earth Day project. Since food waste represents 21.1% of the trash produced in the US, it is estimated that each pound of food thrown away results in 3.8 lbs of greenhouse gases. Beginning April 20, 2017, students began to collect food waste to identify how much compostable waste was being put in landfills during 6th grade lunch periods at the school. Rowland wrote a grant to begin an official composting program and by the Fall of 2017 they purchased 10 hungry bin worm composting farms. A second grant was able to secure a dual chamber compost tumbler in March 2018.

800

Students will be impacted this year

Intended impact of project

Reduced environmental impact
Improved occupant health & performance
Increased environmental & sustainability literacy

Impact of project

Improved student/staff health and wellness
Environmental restoration
Improved environmental & sustainability literacy

More impact of project

The school wanted to promote the use of native plants that are planted with organic soil and without the use of pesticides. Those involved in the project have helped increase environmental awareness and stewardship. The overall goal of this is to help students learn more about the importance of being environmentally responsible while gardening. They’ve also increased education on the significance of pollinators and the threats towards them. It is also hoped that students will learn, through further research, about the benefits of eating healthy foods.