Schoolwide Composting

Our school produces approximately 250 pounds of food waste each day. Prior to the establishment of the Agroecology Research Center (ARC), this material was sent directly to the landfill. Working alongside students, I designed and implemented a schoolwide composting system that diverts food waste and transforms it into a valuable resource for our farm and gardens.

More than a waste-management solution, the compost system functions as a living classroom. Through weekly work managing the compost piles, students learn about nutrient cycling, decomposition, systems thinking, and collective responsibility. By closing the nutrient loop on campus, students see sustainability not as an abstract concept, but as a practical process shaped by thoughtful design and shared stewardship.