Lunch Out of Landfills

When I started at Urbana, there were ten huge trash bins and maybe three or four small recycling bins. One of my teachers told me that Urbana doesn’t recycle and after a look at our contaminated waste stream, I could see why she said it. In the middle of that year, Lunch out of Landfills began a composting initiative that would change Urbana’s waste culture.

In addition to the exciting nature of the increased diversion, the program facilitated community building. Members from the Southern Frederick Rotary, parents, and elected officials taught and encouraged composting in the cafeteria. After Urbana started composting, other schools were motivated to start programs with Lunch out of Landfills. Suddenly, it was not simply a school community being strengthened but a county community forming.

The beauty of composting is that it acts as an action multiplier. Each day students have to make the decision to sort their waste, so there is a daily reminder to care about the planet. Unlike actions like solar panels, composting is a daily choice and a visible portion of daily life. When students think about the earth in one sector of their daily routine, it bleeds over to other aspects of the day. The other feature that makes cafeteria composting an action multiplier is that students can bring composting back to their homes, colleges, and work. Teaching lifestyle changes like composting is best done when people are young and more open to changes.

In a few short years, over a dozen schools have started composting programs in our county thanks to Lunch out of Landfills. Not only do they provide the wisdom gained through experience, Lunch out of Landfills gives the energy and tenacity necessary to implement efficient cafeteria composting programs.