Working in a school, I witness food waste daily. Students are given a lunch tray with a balanced meal. Many times a large portion of the main lunch item gets trashed, including all of the vegetables. I’ve even seen students take one bite of their food, then throw the entire tray away.
I was horrified the first time I saw this. I know it’s not gourmet food, but knowing that this food was being discarded while there were so many hungry people in the world really bothered me. The school does have a designated area to place unopened bags of fruits or vegetables in a basket for others who may want them. But it does not get used as much as it should. I also try to rescue fruits and vegetables from students before they get tossed away simply because it’s so hard to see all of that perfectly good food go to waste.
And it can’t be just that kids are tossing cafeteria food because it’s not good. They’re also throwing away packed lunches from home. Beautifully curated sandwiches, fresh-cut fruit, and packaged snacks all get put in the garbage as well. Food just gets largely taken for granted.
It’s not just among kids, either. According to Recycle Track Systems, the United States discards nearly 120 billion pounds of food every year. That’s almost 40 percent of the entire U.S. food supply, and equates to 325 pounds of waste per person.
This is why it’s so heartening that various Hudson Valley school districts are taking steps to reduce waste through recycling and composting initiatives, saving food from landfills, and educating the younger generation to make lasting change. Especially in a time when not everyone is getting the food and nutrients they need.
So what exactly is composting? According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, “composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. Composting simply speeds up the process by providing an ideal environment for bacteria, fungi, and other decomposing organisms (such as worms, sowbugs, and nematodes) to do their work. The resulting decomposed matter, which often ends up looking like fertile garden soil, is called compost. Compost is rich in nutrients and can be used for gardening, horticulture, and agriculture.”
To help reduce the amount of trash and waste that Tarrytown public schools produce, Kirsten “Kiko” Bourne, the environmental education consultant for the Tarrytown school district, has been leading an initiative called the Wasteless Horsemen Initiative. It focuses on zero-waste practices in the local schools, and has been successfully launched at John Paulding Elementary School and W.L. Morse School.
Bourne says that working on food waste and excess garbage starts with recycling programs. In Tarrytown schools, she spearheaded the recycling of paper goods like milk cartons, with separate bins for plastics and cans. She also set up composting bins for napkins, uneaten food, and compostable trays. To help the students at these schools remember to recycle and compost, staff and parent volunteers assisted in the running of the program. They employed a “sort it out song and dance” that Bourne created, which the kids really love.
All of these efforts could help to divert the waste of up to 40,000 pounds of food across two campuses in one school year, Bourne says. Implementing compost programs in more Hudson Valley schools has the potential to put a major dent in the food waste problem in our region. Students at Poughkeepsie High School, among others, have also studied how districts in the region are implementing composting.
Bourne started the Wasteless Horsemen Initiative last fall with students in pre-K and in kindergarten. In the winter, she worked with first and second graders. In fall 2024 she will focus on third through fifth grades, and also incoming pre-K and kindergarteners, so they will know how to recycle and compost. Next, she will focus on the middle schools and high schools.
Composting and recycling programs can be started by anyone in local schools. And it’s surprisingly simple to do. According to Clean River Recycling Solutions, to start a compost program, begin by putting together a composting committee. Recruit individuals like teachers, parents, custodians, and kitchen staff to help start and sustain the programs. Second, conduct a waste audit. Determine what percentage of your waste is organic and compostable. Then, check with your waste hauler and make sure that they have the proper equipment to accommodate your newly added compost stream. Fourth, work with your kitchen and cafeteria staff to identify any products or items that are currently being purchased and see if there is a compostable alternative. Next, buy the compost bins. The results from your waste audit will help you determine how many compost bins you will need and the size/capacity of your new compost stations. Lastly, educate and communicate. Engage students and faculty with the new organics addition to your recycling program. Education is crucial, and it is critical to get teachers and parents involved especially in elementary and secondary schools to help introduce students to the program.
Composting and recycling in our schools, homes, and communities is not just a good idea — it is a necessity. If we reduce the amount of food that gets wasted daily, then we also cut down on the harmful emissions needed to haul and process all of this unnecessary waste at our landfills. That a boon for the environment as a whole. So, let’s jump into action! Who’s ready?
