Waste Reduction in Schools

Reducing waste at school instills a culture of responsible waste management in students while helping cash strapped schools reduce their waste bill. With some creativity and a simple change of habit, schools can watch their dumpster size (and waste bill) shrink.

Ten Tips for Reducing Waste at School:

1. Eat a waste free lunch. Ditch the disposable Styrofoam and plastic for reusable lunch trays bowls, plates, and flatware. A little extra labor of cleaning ‘real’ flatware and dishes will save you the expense of purchasing the disposables that end up in the trash. Also encourage students to bring waste free lunches to school when they pack by adopting a reusable lunch box and plastic containers instead of using disposable brown paper and plastic bags.
2. Send parent newsletters electronically. Communicating electronically with parents instead of with paper newsletters will reduce unnecessary printing.
3. Use an overhead projector or blackboard. These classic teaching tools help reduce the amount of photocopied information distributed in class.
4. Buy durables. Buy classroom materials that are durable and if possible, include recycled content.
5. Make double-sided copies. Using both sides of the paper when copying will cut your paper costs in half and reduce paper waste.
6. Clean responsibly. Use paper towels sparingly, and replace them when possible with sponges, rags, or other scrap material.
7. Designate a scrap material box. Collect paper, fabric, and other objects to reuse for classroom projects.
8. Invite worms into the school. Starting a classroom worm bin to compost food waste will reduce food waste going into landfill and become a living teaching tool for biology. Read our Yard Waste at Home Handbook for detailed instructions.
9. Host a school rummage sale. Parents and the community will appreciate a school rummage sale or trade day for toys, books, and outgrown clothing, including school uniforms.
10. Route messages and publications. Instead of distributing individual messages for all the staff, make one copy and attach a routing sheet. This will save on paper.

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