1. Meadowdale Middle School waste reduction program! By The Environmental Club

2. Why do this? (EPA statistics, 2012)  Every year, Americans toss out 230 million tons of “trash”, or 4.6 lbs per person per day. More than 70% of this waste is reusable/recyclable/compostable!  Nationally, recycling and composting reduces 168 million metric tons of CO2 (comparable to yearly output of 33 million cars)! It also saves 1.1 quadrillion BTU of energy (equal to yearly energy needs of 10 million households)!  MMS program is OPTIONAL. No one is being forced to do this. But, we hope most of you will take the time to do the right thing and sort your lunch waste.  Ask if not sure what to do with anything. “When in doubt, throw it out” into garbage.

3. What the system looks like

4. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO DISPOSE OF YOUR WASTE? Let’s practice…

5. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

6. Plastic fork goes in garbage Styrofoam plate goes in garbage All food waste goes in compost

7. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

8. COMPOST! All food and soiled paper plates, napkins, and paper lunch bags can go in the compost bin!

9. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

10. ALL Food waste goes in compost, but paper boat must go in garbage (looking to get compostable paper boats soon)

11. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

12. Dump any extra milk into liquid bin; ONLY EMPTY milk cartons can go into recycle bin.

13. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

14. Garbage (bummer)! Single package bags are not recyclable (but dump any uneaten foods into compost).

15. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

16. Recycle! All plastic bottles can be recycled, but caps need to be thrown in the garbage!

17. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

18. Dump liquids into liquid bin, all metal cans go into recycle bin, plastic sauce package goes into garbage.

19. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

20. ALL food waste into COMPOST, plastic “clamshell” package into GARBAGE (only completely clean containers can go into recycle bin)!

21. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

22. Pour juice into liquid bin, foil top goes into the garbage, and empty plastic cup into recycle bin.

23. Garbage? Recycle? Compost? Liquid waste?

24. Food waste into compost, milk into liquid bin, milk carton into recycle bin, boat goes in garbage, and plastic bag goes into garbage.

25. Be ready to sort your waste into these 4 bins… it’s the right thing to do! Brought to you by Mr. Howard and the Environmental Club!