CSW Introduces Composting Program to Dining Hall
CSW’s Sustainability Committee partners with Black Earth Compost on a composting procedure for the school's dining hall.
After much brainstorming, students representing CSW’s Sustainability Committee have developed a new system that will allow the school’s dining facility to enhance their environmental safety procedures. Having recently developed a partnership with Black Earth Compost, diners will notice a newly designated compost bin where they will be able to put their leftovers. These compostable meal scraps will then be stored behind the kitchen where they will be retrieved once per week by the company.
While it may sound simple in its execution, Sustainability Committee admits that there were a few obstacles that prevented a school-wide composting program in the past. The first was space. Not only was there was no allocated space to collect compost materials, but there was also nowhere to easily and safely store it until it was picked up. The solution? Members of CSW Facilities were able to rearrange the trash collection area behind the kitchen to allow for a compost bin.
The second concern faced by those pressing for the system was pests getting into the food. Another solution? The team decided to simply fasten bungee cords around the bins so that animals wouldn’t get in. The final, and perhaps most daunting concern, was the cost. Despite the best intentions, composting can prove costly, particularly when materials need to be retrieved with such frequency and trucked to a separate facility. However, with a bit of student advocacy, Sustainability Committee was able to make it happen!
Congrats to all on this exciting and important accomplishment.
The Cambridge School of Weston is a progressive high school for day and boarding students in grades 9–12 and PG. CSW's mission is to provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning, meaningful relationships, and a dynamic program that inspires students to discover who they are and what their contribution is to their school, their community and the world.