Vision

Last year (2023/2024), the two Grade 7 classes at Pacific Way participated in a series of climate action-themed Zoom sessions designed to inspire us to launch our own climate action projects. Since the city had recently launched a composting program for residential areas, we decided to start a similar initiative at our school. Our idea was to place a compost bin in each classroom, which would then be collected weekly through the city’s composting program. Our goal was to reduce the amount of waste produced by our school and help the environment. This school year (2024/2025), we aimed to improve the program’s success and ensure its long-term sustainability by encouraging composting and recycling to become lasting habits in our school community.

Action

Last year, we began by creating a detailed plan for our project. Our first step was to present the idea to the school staff. During our presentation, we received valuable ideas, feedback, and concerns from the teachers. We then met with Dr. Rhonda Nixon, the Superintendent of the district, who approved our project.
Next, we spoke with our school’s amazing janitor, Mrs. Yamelst. She informed us that the school generates around 17 bags of garbage daily—on regular days without any special events or hot lunches. By the end of the week, the large outdoor dumpster is usually full.
With the help of our kind secretary, Mrs. Macdonald, we used Cricut Design Space to create custom stickers for our new compost and paper towel bins. We repurposed the old garbage bins for compostable paper towels and purchased new, smaller garbage bins for classroom use. We cut out the stickers and applied them to the bins as best as we could.
We then met with the EcoSmart team from the city to discuss our project. They showed us the indoor compost bins and compostable liners they would provide and gave us feedback on our plan and sticker designs. After a follow-up meeting with the EcoSmart team, we finalized our plan and distributed the bins throughout the school.
We presented to each class and taught students how to use the bins properly and how to compost effectively. At the beginning of this school year, we conducted a school-wide review to reinforce the importance of composting and explained what items go into compost, recycling, and garbage. This happened in September.
Throughout the year, we collected compost from each classroom and made sure the bins were kept clean. We also helped move the compost bins to the curb for city pickup. One challenge we faced was odor—because the bins are stored indoors due to local wildlife, they started to smell. To solve this, we proposed building an outdoor shed and sought permission from the School District’s maintenance department. The cost was estimated at $1,800. To help raise the funds needed beyond our $500 prize money, we held a bake sale. Construction of the shed will begin soon.

Reflection & Celebration

The compost shed will be built soon and will help reduce indoor odors. Every class in the school is now composting fruits, vegetables, and all paper towel waste. Based on our calculations, we’ve diverted 216 bins—or approximately 12,312 kilograms of compostable waste—from the landfill. That’s a significant impact, and we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished.

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