LAST YEAR’S LUNCH?!

                          

Have you seen this wheelbarrow? It’s true. This fine looking, sweet smelling composted mulch is actually derived from Brackett cafeteria food scraps. Starting in April 2012, the leftovers were gathered and mixed with leaves, shredded paper, sawdust and woodchips in compost tumblers and left it to “cook” over the summer. The end product was then sifted and voila!

This Brackett GIG composting project is on-going. With the help of volunteers we continue to encourage students to sort their lunchroom waste.  We average 9 lbs. of recyclables, 9 pounds of trash and 50 pounds of food waste (not including liquids) every day!  This year alone Brackett could divert over 4 tons of food scraps from the waste stream and turn it back into healthy soil. It is part of a larger school waste-reduction program.

BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.

We have immediate openings for lunchroom recycling/compost coaches each day of the week. A shift only takes an hour and orientation is simple. It is a great way to have a presence in the cafeteria by which to observe our children and the lunchroom routine.

So what’s the GIG?

The Brackett Green Initiatives Group is a collection of parents, students, teachers and neighbors with a common interest in sharing information and sponsoring activities that raise awareness and engender ecologically sustainable practices within the school community. Here are some of the things we did getting started last spring.

·       Conducted a lunchroom waste audit

·       Initiated a lunchroom waste-reduction plan

·       Implemented a composting program

·       Re-activated the school green house

·       Involved students in planting and cultivating mini pizza garden kits

·       Raised funds for the Brackett PTO

·       Raised awareness, questions and enthusiasm in the school community

·       Had fun brainstorming a lot more

In addition to refining the programs already started, some goals for Fall 2012 are:

1.         Build a small raised garden bed outside the cafeteria.

It’s a small project with big ambition: highlighting the full circle of the food cycle

> food scrap  >  compost  > garden soil >  new plant growth >  food >

We need materials, builders, shovelers, sifters, plants and gardeners

2.         Get the student Green Team up and running.

Many, many students have come to us to say they want to be compost crew captains and get involved in fun activities centered on learning the science and wonder of the natural world. Look for details in future school notices.

We need your help and permission for student’s participation.

There are many ways you can help: from signing up for regular compost browns/carbons collection, to developing grant proposals. To get more detail about the activities of the Green Initiatives Group and to get involved visit our blog & SIGN-UP          http://www.signupgenius.com/go

Or email us with your ideas, interests, contact information and availability at gig.brackett@gmail.com

COME JOIN US!