The number of Maine schools that are diverting food waste is growing! Some schools have signed up for a composting service, while others compost their food waste on site. Other schools send their food waste to an anaerobic digester or partner with local pig farmers. If you don’t see your school on the list we Read More
food waste
Why Develop School Food Waste Reduction Programs?
Maine K-12 schools generate an estimated seven million pounds of food waste annually (1). That is a staggering amount for our small state, and it reflects the larger, global food waste problem. At home, almost one-third of the garbage Mainers throw out is food waste and scraps. Meanwhile, one in five Maine kids may not Read More
Maine School Cafeterias Reducing Plastic Pollution and Waste
We are all familiar with the challenges of using plastic cutlery. These utensils notoriously fail at the only task they are made for: cutting and picking up food. In addition, they create a lot of single-use trash, are not recyclable, and there are reusable options. In recent years, schools have brought plastic cutlery into lunchrooms. Read More
Lessons in Food Waste at Hall-Dale Middle School
In June, we were fortunate to be visited by members of the NRCM staff including Beth Comeau, Lisa Pohlmann, and Lily Bailey, the intern who was assigned to work with and support the Hall-Dale Middle School Environmental Club. The NRCM staff members were very enthusiastic as they asked the students to reflect on our food Read More
Hall-Dale Continues Composting Challenge
Environmental Club members have continued to work toward consistent cafeteria composting at Hall-Dale Middle School, but not without encountering challenges along the way. Our original farmer had a very busy schedule—between taking care of his animals and picking up food waste from others around town, he could not always get to us in a timely Read More
Hall-Dale Middle School Students Start Composting Program
The program is made possible through a grant from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Through a grant from the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Hall-Dale Middle School students are starting a composting program in their school cafeteria to reduce food waste, according to a news release from the council. Middle school students in the Read More
Hall-Dale Middle School Environmental Club Food Waste Reduction Project
When the HDMS Environmental Club first met in September to discuss potential environmentally focused school projects, we decided to focus on food waste reduction in the cafeteria. First, we needed to find a local farmer to pick up food waste on a daily basis, to alleviate concerns from the Manager of Buildings and Grounds and Read More
2018 Legislative Priorities for Maine’s Environment
The 2018 legislative session is well underway. This is the “short session” of the Legislature, which means the pace is fast as lawmakers attempt to adjourn by the end of April. It is also an election year for every House and Senate seat, and it is Governor Paul LePage’s final year in office, adding an Read More
South Portland Food Waste Pilot Program Increases Recycling
By Juliette Laaka The Forecaster news story SOUTH PORTLAND — Since its inception last May, a pilot program to collect food waste has increased recycling rates in two participating neighborhoods. About 600 households in the Knightville and Meetinghouse Hill neighborhoods received 6-gallon buckets to use for curbside compost collection. Additional bins were set up at Read More
