School Food Waste Reduction & Composting Pilot Program with Growing Neighbors
This program engages students, school staff, and community members in learning about the food cycle and reducing food waste. Through education and hands-on projects, participants will focus on waste reduction, collecting food scraps for redistribution or composting, and using finished compost to enrich soil in school and community gardens. The program also supports growing, preparing, and sharing fresh, nutritious food at schools.
The pilot will launch at Garfield Elementary School and includes:
- Short classroom presentations to introduce students to food waste reduction and composting
- Weekly cafeteria food waste audits to track progress toward a 50% reduction goal
- A small-scale, on-site composting program using bokashi systems
- Using finished compost in the school garden and sharing with local gardens
- Training students, staff, and families to manage an ongoing composting program
- Potential opportunities for students to learn how to make bokashi compost starter
The long-term goal is to expand the program to additional schools.
To receive training or get involved, email: growingneighbors509@gmail.com
