In a message of a few weeks ago, we set a goal of reducing our landfill waste by 50%. We’ve partnered with Zero Waste Marin to help us get there. To prepare the way, we sat students by class and introduced the Golden Lunchbox awards, which acknowledge classes who embody Edna PROUD at lunchtimes by doing their #1 job (eat food), being inclusive and calm, keeping their area clean, and disposing of their waste. Students have done well: we’ve noted calmer, cleaner lunchtimes and much less distracting worry and movement about who sits where and with whom.
The next step has started! Zero Waste Marin staff visited every class this week to train students in our new 3-bin system and how to use it. Here are the basics: In every classroom, in every building, and outside, you’ll see bins of 3 different colors. Green = compost, Brown = recycle, Black = landfill trash. Each classroom, both eating areas, and other outdoor waste stations have all 3. Bathrooms will have green (paper towels are compost and our highest volume of waste). Students will play a major role in making this work. They will know what waste goes in which bin, they will empty smaller classroom bins into larger collection bins, and Student Council will be on hand at lunchtimes as waste ambassadors. We go live with our 3-bin system on Monday!
You can help out at home by continuing to talk about our responsibility to mindfully dispose of our waste, and referring to the 4 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot) in your waste disposal at home and at Edna. You can also do what you can to send food in re-usable containers that your children bring back home. (If we never pick up another juice box straw wrapper, plastic yogurt sleeve, cheese stick wrapper…) We understand disposable containers may be necessary, but ask you to go the extra mile when they are simply a convenience. Big hint: label your child’s reusable containers. This way, we can return them to your child’s teacher when we find them laying about.
Our waste audit confirmed what we already knew: We are starting Zero Waste from ground zero. Only a small amount of our waste was separated well enough to go anywhere but the landfill. We’ve always had the will to be kinder to our planet. Now we have the training and equipment, too.
Leo Kostelnik, Principal Cristin Coleman, Assistant Principal