New for the 2011-2012 school year is an updated Waste Dispersal Program within each of the District's schools. While the paper, plastic, aluminum and glass recycling remain relatively the same, the change to the program occurs with the addition of organics collection. Items collected in organics containers include milk cartons, paper towels, tissue, wax and parchment paper, pizza boxes and of course food waste.
The reason for the change is three-fold: economic, environment and education.
Economically speaking the program is a no-brainer. Diverting organics to a composting facility reduces our cost by two-thirds if we had sent the same materials to the landfill. Sending paper, plastic and aluminum to a recycling center saves us even more. For example, last year PLHS threw away 76 tons of waste. If all of that had been taken to the landfill, our cost would have been $4,633. Instead, PLHS recycled about 44 tons of that waste, so our actual cost was closer to $2,000. By adding Organics Recycling, the cost could have been reduced further to about $1,550. This results in a savings of $3,083. Multiply this by ten schools and the results are significant...especially over time.
Environmentally speaking the savings are equally as impressive. Besides a reduction of methane gas, fuel use and emissions from waste hauling trucks is reduced with less pick-ups and a closer dumping site (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community). Non-renewable natural resources are also spared as our recycling is repurposed and used for other products. With all the recycling PLHS did last year, Dick's Sanitation, Inc. estimates we were able to spare approximately 600 trees and just over 100,000 kilowatt hours of energy.
Educationally speaking, we are empowering our students to make choices resulting in a positive difference in the world we live in. Our media inundates us with images of despair for our future environment. By engaging students in a simple task as recycling, students gain a sense of hope and are encouraged that they can indeed make a difference. Through all of this, critical thinking and inquiry learning are awakened allowing students to engage knowledge in multiple curricular areas making authentic, real life connections for application.
What can you do to support the program and assist us economically, environmentally and educationally?
1. Be aware and thoughtful of the different collection containers in and around the schools. Before you toss something away, make sure you're tossing into the right container.
2. Pack lunches in containers that reduce waste. For example, instead of purchasing applesauce in single serving containers, buy a larger jar and reusable containers. Instead of packing food in plastic baggies, pack it in reusable containers. You might even discover a reduced grocery bill.
That's it. It's that simple.
