Originally published by Racine County Eye.

Students in grades 3 through 5 at Starbuck International K-8 School will begin collecting cafeteria food scraps as part of the Racine Food Waste Composting Committee’s composting program.

Starbuck International will be the first school to participate in the program, which began in April 2024, according to the Racine Food Waste Composting Committee.

The committee said participating households in Racine have diverted about 28,600 pounds of organic material from landfills since the program began. The food waste is converted into compost that can be used to replenish soil.

Where is the food waste collected? What are the benefits?

The environmental benefits of diverting that amount of waste are equivalent to planting 190 trees, not burning 1,300 gallons of gasoline or not driving 28,525 miles, according to the committee.

“Until now, all the food scraps we have collected came from private residences,” Sister Janet Weyker, a committee spokesperson, said. “Adding in these students at Starbuck, who will set aside their cafeteria food waste daily, has the potential to rapidly grow our program and develop a model for other schools and institutions to follow.”

Committee members will teach students about composting and supervise collections during the first weeks of the school year. Selected students will serve as “Composting Captains” and help collect discarded food.

How the program evolved

The school’s participation follows a four-week pilot program in May involving fourth-grade students. According to the committee, students collected an average of 40 pounds of cafeteria food waste each week using plastic buckets. The program included students who brought lunches from home and those who purchased meals through the cafeteria.

“We were excited to pilot composting with a small group of students last school year, and this year we are proud to expand that work to approximately 312 students in grades 3 through 5,” Starbuck Principal Sara Wroblewski said in the release.

Wroblewski said the program fits with Starbuck’s International Baccalaureate curriculum by showing students how actions in their community can have broader effects.

“Composting gives our students a tangible way to see how small, everyday choices can add up to meaningful change for our environments and our world,” Wroblewski said.

The committee hopes students will continue composting at home and encourage more households, schools and businesses to participate.

The economic benefits

Food scraps such as coffee grounds and orange peels can be converted into nutrient-rich compost, which is available for sale to the public for use in gardens, lawns and landscaping, according to the committee.

Weyker said diverting food waste from landfills also can reduce the fees municipalities pay for landfill space. She said composting is a more sustainable option than using garbage disposals because disposals require water and electricity.

Participating households can drop off food waste at three locations: North Pointe United Methodist Church, 3825 Erie St.; First Baptist Church of Racine, 3117 Lathrop Ave.; and Christ Church United Methodist, 5109 Washington Ave.

The cost to participate is $15 through Dec. 31, or half of the program’s $30 annual fee. The fee covers pickup and transportation costs from Compost Crusader, which transports the food waste to Blue Ribbon Organics in Raymond for processing.

The committee said scholarships are available for households that need financial assistance.
According to Weyker, Wisconsin households send about 900,000 tons of food waste to landfills each year. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has a goal of cutting that amount in half by 2030.

The composting program is sponsored by the Racine Interfaith Coalition and the Racine Dominican Laudato Si’ Action Team

Grant Ritchey

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Starbuck Students Join Racine Food Waste Composting Program

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