PS372 Students Reduced, Reused & Recycled and You Did Too!

The PS372 community leapt closer to sustainability with the recycling effort at the first ever Green Winter Fest. Thanks to the enthusiasm, patience and open-minded attitudes, the leadership of the science teachers, a PTA water bottle ban and committed student rangers, we saw serious achievement.

Real Results   Hundreds attended and performed at the Celebration of Our Diversity, yet we sent just two bags of trash to the landfill. That’s because our sorting efforts diverted recyclables and compost from the landfill. In fact, we salvaged

• 3 full bags of paper and cardboard
• 2 compost bins and
• 2 bags packed full of plastic, metal and cartons.

In addition, we reused and saved several table clothes, signs and decorations, and sold reusable cups instead of single use water bottles. An estimated 15 percent of bake sale shoppers used their own cup for coffee. With the water bottle sale ban in place, over 60 re-usable cups were sold–suggesting at least 50 water bottles were kept out of our water ways.  Not bad for a first attempt!

Why Sorting Is Worth the Effort   Sure, it’s good for the planet, but recycling is also good for the school. By having a sorting initiative, we move bin contents out of the waste stream and back into use. Compost is a valuable asset, which is why cities and schools are starting to collect organics, and why organizations such as the World Wildlife Foundation are funding grants to help make it happen. Stay tuned for more news about the grants we’re pursuing! Thank you!   –The Green Team Committee  [slideshow_deploy id=’13048′]