cheryl
Administrator
Staff member
Schools’ lunch waste programs keeping food out of landfills - SF Gate
Kathy Osborne raised her hands into the air, and the near-deafening din of a hundred fourth graders finishing lunch fell away.“Tables 2, 3 and 4,” said Osborne, who has been a custodian with Frederick County Public Schools for 22 years. “Let’s go.”
Green Valley is one of a handful of schools across FCPS that have implemented waste-sorting programs, teaching students about separating garbage, recycling and composting, and setting aside unopened snacks for local food banks. The process can divert up to 85% of lunchtime waste that would otherwise sit in landfills, said Joe Richardson, a former member of the Frederick County Sustainability Commission and a main force behind the effort.
“I think it’s pretty remarkable what these kids are doing,” Richardson said. “You’ve got young kids who are leading the way.”