National Bahá’í Schools

Ideas from the Committees—Affecting the Environment

Four Corners Bahá’í School’s Recycling and Compost Program

Four Corners Bahá’í School, held in rural New Mexico, is leading the way in being a good steward of the environment and resources. Around campus the committee sets marked recycle bins for items most commonly used by participants, such as water bottles and soda cans. Inside the kitchen, where committee members and volunteers prepare all meals for the 200 attendees, recycling is more intensive. Separate boxes are set up at strategic spots for tin cans, glass, cardboard and paperboard. All recyclables are carted away at the end of the 6-day session by a couple of committee members, to a recycling center in the nearby town.

A new level of environmental stewardship was introduced this year, with a school composting program. Set up next to kitchen work stations were 2-gallon plastic buckets, lined with extra-sturdy plastic trash bags. As kitchen helpers prepared meals, all non-meat food waste was tossed into the nearest compost bucket, instead of the trash. Items such as eggshells, coffee grounds, vegetable and fruit peelings and seeds, bread crusts, etc, all went in the buckets. As each bucket became full, its plastic bag was sealed and placed on the floor of the commercial-size, walk-in freezer, and a new bag placed in the bucket.

By the end of the session, about 20 bags of frozen food scraps had been collected. These were offered to any and all “gardeners” to take home, to add to their own compost piles. The bags were small enough to be easily transported, and by freezing the scraps there was no odor, leakage or pests attracted.

Please contact Barbara Tong at barbaratong@sandersusd.net for further details.

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