Compost
Our students are RESOURCE CONSERVATIONISTS
3rd graders at Cannon River STEM School take the lead in running our school's composting program. Starting in the Fall of 2017 (bins built summer 2017), vegetable and fruit food waste from lunch and snack throughout the day is processed and turned into nutrient rich soil that's used in a variety of projects around campus.
Every year, we prevent thousands of pounds of food waste from entering the Rice County landfill, and keep valuable nutrients to recycle back into the environment.
How We Do It:
Sorting
Compostable food must be separated from trash and non-compostable food items.
In the cafeteria, the correct compostable food items on the menu are posted so students can see what they need to separate out. Using hands or a spatula, the food is taken off the trays or out of lunchboxes and put into the large green compost bin that is lined with a biodegradable plastic liner.
In the cafeteria, the correct compostable food items on the menu are posted so students can see what they need to separate out. Using hands or a spatula, the food is taken off the trays or out of lunchboxes and put into the large green compost bin that is lined with a biodegradable plastic liner.
Weighing
Every day, 3rd grade students bring the day's compost to an industrial strength scale to weigh and record how much food is being compost.
Numbers vary, but range between 5 and 80 pounds per day.
To date, we have composted over 2200 pounds of food.
Chopping
Every day we bring the compost to "Bay 1" where the food is chopped up into tiny pieces so that bacteria and macroinvertebrates will have an easier time decomposing it.
Transporting
With such a large and sprawling campus, 3rd graders are tasked with moving the compost around between buildings, and finally out to the outdoor bins.
Adding Browns
Once a year, third grade works together to collect leaves from all around campus to fill up our "browns bin"
Whenever we add more food to bay 1, we always mix in dry brown leaves.
Fresh food waste is high in nitrogen, and old leaves are high in carbon. The correct ratio between the two helps ensure healthy, well-balanced compost.
Fresh food waste is high in nitrogen, and old leaves are high in carbon. The correct ratio between the two helps ensure healthy, well-balanced compost.
Management
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Finished Compost
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