Students of all ages learn about caring for the environment in many different ways.  It is often thought that the best way for people to learn is through “hands-on” teaching methods.  What better way to understand what happens to our garbage than to experience it yourself through working with composting!

There are several ways that schools can participate in composting.  Some teachers choose to have vermicomposting bins in the classroom, while some schools take on school-wide composting and use outdoor bins on school grounds.  Still others may not compost directly but may use the ideas of composting in their lessons, perhaps drawing on composting-related activities or bringing in a vermicomposting bin for a day.

Vermicomposting allows the kids to get “up-close-and-personal” with the food-to-compost process.  Kids can take responsibility for feeding the worms and will be amazed as the food “disappears” over the days that follow.  Worms eat up to their own body weight in food per day!  Vermicomposting worms (Red Wrigglers) are vegetarians and enjoy eating fruit and vegetable scraps, as well as plain breads and pasta.  

Vermicompost bins do require some upkeep; the castings (A.K.A: worm poo) have to be removed every so often.  A properly maintained bin will be relatively smell-free, as long as the castings are removed and the worms are not overfed. 

Vermicompost bins cannot handle as much waste as outdoor bins and, thus, a regular-sized bin may not be able to handle all of the classroom’s organic waste.  If used in conjunction with an outdoor composting system, the extras can be taken outside.  If not, the students can be encouraged to take their organics home and compost them in their own backyards (composting in schools may also provide encouragement to parents to take-up composting at home). 

Outdoor composting on school grounds may take a bit more organization that in-classroom composting.  Outdoor compost bins can take a higher volume of organics than vermicomposting bins and, thus, a higher percentage of the schools’ organic waste may be able to be composted. 

Outdoor compost bins require a slightly higher level of upkeep than indoor bins.  First of all, it is very important that the school identify a source of brown (carbon-rich) materials (such as dried leaves) to supplement their organics (green, nitrogen-rich materials).  In addition, there needs to be a clearly identified individual or team of people who take on the responsibility to add the organics and brown materials and to manage the moisture levels and aeration of the bins.  Another consideration is the management of outdoor bins over the summer when school is out (a benefit of vermicomposting bins is that they can be taken home during the summer months).

 Outdoor composting can allow the whole school to be involved and not just a single classroom.  The finished compost can be used to beautify the school grounds.  The organics-to-finished-compost process will take longer with outdoor composting, but will likely produce more finished compost than indoor composting.

If a school is not prepared to undertake the task of composting, there are still learning opportunities connected to the ideas of composting.  Composting can be connected to many areas of the curriculum including science, art and baking (worm cookies, anyone?), language arts, and math. 

Contact the Compost Action Project for more ideas on in-classroom activities and advice in setting up a school composting program.

Resource Conservation Manitoba’s Environmental Speakers’ Bureau also offers presentations on composting to students of all ages. 

www.greenteacher.com

http://compost.css.cornell.edu/schools.html http://www.evergreen.ca