News

Students as Compost Champions!

Posted 2/8/2024

SCHOOLS FIGHT FOOD WASTE!

Eau Claire County has partnered with Eau Claire Area School District, Earthbound Environmental Solutions, and the JONAH Environmental Task Force (ETF) through the county's Schools Fight Food Waste grant program to implement composting at Locust Lane, Roosevelt, Sherman, Meadowview, Northwoods, and Robbins elementary schools. These schools each received a $1,000 grant from the County to reduce food waste in their schools.

Throughout December and January schools conducted waste audits of lunchtime waste and learned how to separate their waste into trash and food waste with the assistance of JONAH ETF volunteers. During this waste audit the schools collectively diverted over 1,900 pounds just from lunch waste in one week. The schools will continue to compost and divert waste from the landfill. All food waste will be collected and processed by Earthbound Environmental Solutions.
A comprehensive report about the waste audits and information about the grant opportunity can be found at www.eauclairecounty.gov/foodwaste. Eau Claire County has opened its 2nd round of this grant application for Fall 2024 and encourages any K-12 school within the County to apply for this opportunity.
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Media contacts:
Regan Watts, Recycling & Sustainability Coordinator
Eau Claire County Planning & Development
(715) 839-2756
Regan.wats@eauclairecounty.gov

Teri Piper Thompson, Communications Manager
Eau Claire Area School District
(715) 852-3040
tpiperthompson@ecasd.us

Jamie and Zacharious Pappas, Owners
Earthbound Environmental Solutions
(715) 952-5608
info@earthboundenviro.com

Sue Waits, JONAH ETF Leader
JONAH Environmental Task Force
(715) 829-5762
waitsr@charter.net