As the school year comes to a close, Dr. Jaye shared a few of the many ways NYC schools have become more sustainable during the past year. Thanks in part the expansion of Organics Collection to 363 schools, the DOE's waste diversion rate increased by 5% to 20% diversion!  Schools also added 100 more sustainability coordinators, created over 55 more school gardens, and four schools earned the NWF Eco-Schools Green Flag Award.  Looking ahead, Dr. Jaye plans to increase accessibility to the annual sustainability coordinator trainings by offering new and different formats for key staff who work with green teams.  She is also recruiting new local and national partners to strengthen current sustainability efforts.

Ever wonder how much your recycling program is improving? This spring, eleven Recycling Champions schools participated in The Big Lift, a contest that challenges participating schools to weigh all of their waste from classrooms, offices, and cafeterias, once a week for four weeks.  

I.S. 34 Staten Island finished in first place with an average diversion rate of 79%!  They averaged a 14% diversion rate for cartons, plastic, metal, a 24% diversion rate for paper, and a 41% diversion rate of organic material through Organics Collection. Another top finisher was Manhattan Hunter Science H.S. which achieved a combined diversion rate (paper plus cartons, plastic and metal) of 66%. Most improved schools include M.S. 226, Queens (paper), Dewitt Clinton H.S., Bronx (cartons, plastics and metal), and College Academy, Manhattan (organics).

Sustainability Coordinator and English teacher Ray Pultinas at De Witt Clinton High School in the Bronx works with a dynamic Environmental Affairs Club, hosting "Clinton Garden" events, field trips, a speaker series, and a paper recycling initiative, all part of a holistic approach to sustainability. But stewardship is not limited to the club.  English class writing assignments include environmental ethics questions related to waste. Ntina Diaz, Sustainability Coordinator at Bronx International High School, created a community service class devoted to recycling.  Working with the Recycling Champions, students explored topics such policy and technology solutions related to waste, while creating materials for a presentation to their peers. 

After setting recycling goals with school leaders, students utilized skills gained in the Broadcast Journalism course to spread the word about recycling through public service announcements.  Their messaging helped to transform the look of recycling and improve participation throughout the school.  Principal White says "students are gaining lifelong skills of pride, communication, initiative, drive, leadership and self and community awareness.  These are invaluable skills that have transformed our school environment in a very short time since its implementation."  She adds "if students learn how they can contribute to the long-term good of the environment, then they will understand the value of their efforts today.  A successful recycling program such as this will awaken students to the need to take action now, for a better tomorrow."

The Sustainability Coordinator at Columbia Secondary School in Harlem, Ms. Tiede connects students to the importance of their actions. 

Ms. Tiede uses her Global History, Government, and Economics courses, aligned with state curriculum requirements, to teach sustainability. Through a lens of history, civics, or economics her students learn the origins of many environmental issues, and consider the current state of waste management, climate change, and resource depletion. Students also come to understand their role as agents of change. Global History students are required to serve at least once as recycling monitors in the lunchroom and write about how it felt to take a hands on approach to solving a global issue. Several of Ms. Tiede's students created civic action projects to encourage composting at home, and one designed training materials for middle school students to help them understand the importance of recycling. 

How can a custodian engineer benefit from working with students, faculty and staff to implement a successful recycling program?  It definitely opens a dialogue between the custodians and the students/staff; a savvy custodian will use this to his/her advantage to gain feedback and assistance with identifying building issues. Additionally the program will result in a cleaner cafeteria and school grounds.

What are some of the stumbling blocks you've seen that can get in the way of a successful recycling program? I would say awareness/training - getting the word out and training students and school staff. Without administrative support the students will never buy into the program.

What advice would you give to custodian engineers who schools are joining Organics Collection? Don't be afraid of change. This is a great initiative; one that could positively change NYC infrastructure forever.

KIPP Elementary in Brooklyn proves that Kindergartners can eat lunch and recycle!

Prior to the start of Organics Collection, KIPP's dedicated administration arranged a training to inform faculty of the program, which was followed by student presentations.  The school also implemented a color coded sorting system in which they purchased blue recycling bins for metal, glass, plastic, cartons, and painted their previously brown organics bins, orange.  The colors help reinforce sorting practices for students and make recycling so easy that even a kindergartner can do it!