Composting Program Improves School’s Sustainability

A student puts compostable waste into the Blue Line Compost bucket (photo: Conrad Katzander ’22)

Northwood’s Environmental Club is working to advance sustainability at Northwood by diverting our food waste from the landfill through a new composting initiative. Northwood is partnering with Blue Line Compost, a local small business, to help manage the collection process and turn our food waste into great compost.

Northwood generates a significant amount of food waste in the form of pre-consumer and post-consumer waste every day. The food waste that we throw into the trash goes to the landfill and creates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Food waste also takes up valuable space in the landfill. By sending our food waste to Blue Line Compost we will significantly reduce our carbon footprint as a school and will also benefit the community by creating amazing soil that can be used by the people who grow our food.

Composting is an easy thing that can substantially benefit the community.

According to the Blue Line Compost web site the company “is committed to rebuilding soils, helping our local agricultural community, and working within our local economy.”

What can we compost at Northwood?  

Anything that is edible, sauces, soups, bread, bones, meat, fish, citrus, egg shells, shellfish, coffee grounds, coffee filters, napkins, paper towels, paper towel rolls, parchment paper, wooden stirrers, shredded office paper, brown paper bags, and compostable paper take-out containers.

What can’t we compost at our school? 

Metal, glass, plastic, ashes, compostable plastic, gum, wax, brines or cures, bulk salt, pet food, pet waste, baby wipes, dryer sheets, lint, junk mail, or receipts.

The composting program began shortly before February break and will continue through the end of the year and hopefully beyond.