Sustainability Committee

Committee Chairs, Carey Murphy and Amanda Evans

suesptasustainability@gmail.com

Composting @ lunch:

In the U.S., 1/3 of the food we buy goes to waste. Much of it ends up in landfills, where it rots and emits methane – a potent greenhouse gas that warms our planet. At the same time, millions of acres of natural habitats are converted for agricultural use, which threatens wildlife and our ecological systems.

In October 2023, students at Sugarloaf Elementary School will once again tackle food waste by composting through the Lunch Out of Landfills initiative. They are recycling too. By waste sorting, they can reduce the amount of trash by up to 80%. Parent volunteers are needed to help launch this initiative!

You can Sign Up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E4BAFA82AA3FD0-44868256-sues?fbclid=IwAR3yQ17OTgzlCerOnlbZkRpzPgvlsHJsgCeuwyKTDt718h4pFiFvG0zPUr0#/

See Mr. Kidd’s presentation on how waste sorting works at lunch:

How Parents and Guardians Can Help At home:

Help Reduce Waste:

 Involve Students in Packing Lunch

 Pack Trash-Free & Portion-Appropriate Lunches

 Encourage Students to Bring Home Leftovers

Click here to view more info about food waste

Compost at Home:

What is Composting and How to do it at Home

“The following comes from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (www.ilsr.org), a national nonprofit organization working to strengthen local economies, and redirect waste into local recycling, composting, and reuse industries. It is reprinted here with permission.”

Recycle Right:

Make sure you know what can and cannot be recycled. Ask your student. Many people wish-cycle certain plastics. Yogurt cups and most take out containers like clamshells CANNOT be recycled.

School Gardens

We maintain several gardens on school grounds that provide habitat and food for pollinators, reduce stormwater runoff, and capture carbon. All of these were planted by students and their families. Each of these gardens can be used in instruction and for after-school activities. To help maintain the gardens, learn about them, or to include them in lessons, email us.