Transcript COMPOSTING EFFORT AT LYLES-CROUCH TRADITIONAL ACADEMY Alexandria, VA Introduction Objectives of the composting initiative: 1.

COMPOSTING EFFORT
AT
LYLES-CROUCH TRADITIONAL ACADEMY
Alexandria, VA
Introduction
Objectives of the composting initiative:
1. Reduce the amount of waste our school generates on a daily
basis.
2. Engage our school community in an activity that delivers
measurable and positive results for our environment.
3. Enable our children to make a tangible contribution toward a
healthy environment.
4. Provide an educational opportunity for our children to learn
about actions they can take to “Reduce, Recycle and Re-use.”
I – The Process: Discuss & Convince
Goal:
Assess project acceptance and build strong support around the initiative
Convince and get the following stakeholders on board:
•
Principal and PTA
•
School Staff
•
Custodians and Cafeteria Staff
•
Community: parents (Mane), Alexandria solid waste, City officials
•
ACPS
•
Waste Hauler
•
Head of food and Nutrition
I – The Process: Communicate, Communicate
Goal:
Share information about the project to create buy-in and ownership
Use existing communication means
1. Students and teachers: Assemblies /
Morning show
2. Custodians & cafeteria staff: meet
with them early on and often to get
them on board and to enable them
to express their concerns. This is
particularly important as they will be in the
cafeteria with the students every day.
3. Parents: Newsletter (if there is one)
/ Website/Email
I – The Process: Measure though a Waste Audit
Goal:
Assess the viability of composting milk cartons and
food waste in the cafeteria
The Process:
• Two days of waste audit, breakfast and lunch
• Two stations with 4 trash cans (milk cartons + food waste, trays,
water bottles and regular trash)
• Two adults per station to guide the children in their sorting.
• Weighing (lb) and measuring (gallons) the content of the trash
cans
in action at Lyles-Crouch
I – The Process: Main Findings and Conclusions
Waste Breakdown
Weight (lb)
Trays
6%
Regular Trash
15%
19
8
Waste Breakdown
Volume (gallons)
Regular Trash
16%
31
35
100
Compostables: Milk
Cartons + Food
Waste
79%
Compostables:
Milk Cartons +
Food Waste
18%
130
Conclusion
LCTA generates enough organic + milk carton waste to start composting
Trays
66%
I – The Process: on a Daily Basis
How does it work?
1- Sort First:
Because we realized that 100 lbs (80%) of
the waste we generated daily in the cafeteria
was actually compostable, we decided to
sort our garbage in two different cans.
2- Sort Correctly:
Sort your meal trash before
you take it to the trash &
compost cans
Remember to remove your
straw from the milk carton!

Only food, paper, and milk
cartons go into the compost
can
Everything else goes into the
regular trash can!
II – What has been achieved?
Two schools, two different approaches:
Lyles-Crouch
Francis C. Hammond
• Elementary School: 300 students, (K-5)
a perfect age group
• Middle School: 1 200 students,
(6-8) a more challenging audience
• A system based on parental
involvement
• A system based on a green team of
students
• No inside champion
• Inside champion
• 3.5 tons in 4 months
• 4 tons in 2 months
III – Lessons Learned
Key factors of success:
•
An internal champion is essential for program
sustainability
•
An internal (or, consistent external) point/s-ofcontact for waste hauler is a necessity
III – Lessons Learned
Need for a fully integrated approach, based on all stakeholders:
Alexandria
Solid Waste Dept
School
•
•
•
•
Students
PTA
Principal & staff
Custodians &
cafeteria staff
ACPS Staff &
School
Board
ACPS
Food & Nutrition Dept.
Waste Hauler
Envirelation
Conclusion
What are our next steps?
• 6 more schools starting a composting program after Spring break
• Ongoing research to find an alternative to the styrofoam tray
THANK YOU