Transform your school into a food waste fighting hub where student Green Teams divert 80% of cafeteria waste from landfills through composting, food sharing tables, and community partnerships that tackle climate change whilst building connections.
According to The Drawdown Initiative, reducing food waste ranks as the third most effective strategy out of more than 80 for reversing global warming. One Student Leader at Urbana High School reported transforming their school from having "ten huge trash bins and maybe three or four small recycling bins" to establishing a comprehensive composting programme that inspired over a dozen other schools in their county to follow suit.
The programme creates what organisers call an "action multiplier" effect—because students make daily composting decisions, there's a constant reminder to care about the planet that influences other aspects of their lives. Unlike one-time environmental actions, composting becomes a visible part of daily routine that students can bring to their homes, colleges, and future workplaces.
Mountainside Education and Enrichment developed this initiative recognising that schools are powerful learning centres and young people are natural agents of change. The programme facilitates community building by connecting students with local Rotary clubs, parents, elected officials, and environmental organisations. Success stories show how individual school programmes strengthen entire county communities through shared environmental action.
How to get involved
Time:
Lunch Out of Landfills is committed to being a dynamic program that meets schools where they are. Getting started with a one-time waste sort and Sharetable is a one-day project that requires one week of preparation. Maintaining this system of waste reduction and education is an ongoing process in each school for years to come, and each Green Team can decide what that looks like for them: a monthly hourly meeting is suggested.
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