LaFayette Elementary School,
in Bucks County, is the first Pennsylvania school participating
in a full-circle recycling project called
Terracycling. Here’s how it works:
At
a school-wide assembly, the kids learned about the tons
of organic waste (we know it as leftover food) that,
each week, goes into the local landfill.
Next, each classroom observed worm bins and discovered how little
red worms eat this “yummy” organic
waste and produce a non-smelly waste that looks like
rich potting soil. Then they learned about a healthy plant food,
Earth Plant Fuel, that is made from this
worm manure.
Terracycle was created by Tom Szaky, a college
student at Princeton University who saw his first worm bin and
was hooked. He worked to develop the healthy
manure into a powerful plant fertilizer and got an award
of $1 million to create a business to make this work. His product
is currently sold in stores like Whole Earth, but is also used
as a fundraising tool for area
schools and non-profit organizations.
The kids and staff at LaFayette were impressed!
They decided to keep their community’s organic waste from
going into the landfill, where it would take a LONG time to
break down, AND to make some money for
their school at the same time. Students were asked to
bring in all the 20 oz. plastic bottles that they could find.
Terracycle paid them 5 cents for each one. These will be recycled
as containers for the plant food created from the worm manure.
A squeeze sprayer goes on top, and the bottle will be decorated
with art from other kids who have participated in the project.
Then the kids will sell the Earth Plant
Fuel to community members and receive half of the selling
price.
Check out www.terracycle.com
for more info.
Maybe your school would like to use this as a fundraiser?!?
to Kids in
Action - Stories
