Zero Waste Fernbank

February 15, 2019

At Fernbank Elementary, we go GREEN! We implement recycling in all classrooms and hallways--paper/cardboard and plastic are placed in the recycling by our school community. We have collections for plastic film (in collaboration with TREX decking)--all plastic film is collected from families and staff and weighed and diverted from landfills and made into useful materials. We collect dried/used markers and divert from landfill and send to Crayola to recycle and make new markers. Most importantly, we COMPOST all of our uneaten/partly eaten food (breakfast and lunch) and we use RESUSABLE cutlery and COMPOSTABLE trays. We no longer use polystyrene which is unhealthy for people and the planet. Our cafeteria is WASTE FREE. Students in cafeteria line receive food on compostable trays which biodegrade into the earth. We use reusable cutlery, which no longer contributes to plastic landfill waste. We implement a share table at lunch, so uneaten food is no longer thrown away and can be shared with hungry peers, teachers, and staff. We encourage all of our students to bring reusable water bottles to school and those who bring lunch from home are encouraged to make waste free lunches. We have weekly green ideas in our weekly email flash to staff and families. We are working to create healthy habits. We reduce our footprint, improve the health of our school, increase awareness on the environment and sustainability, and reduce landfill waste. We are working together to create a GREEN environment for everyone to learn and grow.

Intended impact of project

Reduced environmental impact
Improved occupant health & performance
Increased environmental & sustainability literacy
Reduce landfill waste

Impact of project

Waste reduction
Improved air quality
Educated on sustainable skills and practices
Educated on sustainability knowledge

More impact of project

As of February 1, we have diverted 14,545 lbs of food waste/trays from the landfill. We have created 3,636 lbs of compost. We have not counted how much paper and plastic we have diverted, but we have collected