About
The Food Scraps and Recycling Program is designed to reduce the amount of compostable and recyclable trash ending up in landfills. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States, accounting for approximately 14.1 % of these emissions in 2017. California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy, Senate Bill 1383, aims to reduce emissions by requiring schools, businesses, and residential housing to recycle their organic waste. To aid in this effort and foster healthier lungs, BREATHE teams up with local PreK-12 schools to educate students and staff on the environmental impacts of landfills and the benefits of composting. This work paves the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Who can participate?
BREATHE collaborates with PreK-12 schools in the Sacramento area and surrounding regions to establish sustainable systems within schools by focusing on food recycling and composting. This cost-free initiative is funded by Sacramento County’s Green Team, the City of Sacramento, Twin Rivers Unified School District, and the City of West Sacramento. The program includes:
- In-person training and assemblies for students and staff
- Waste station infrastructure, including signage and bins
- On-site technical assistance throughout the school year and support there after
- Resources for how to successfully implement food scraps recycling at school
- Incentives for students to sort their waste
- Leadership/environmental clubs are encouraged to participate for a more student-led experience
If your school has any questions or is looking to start a Food Scraps and Recycling Program, you can email Program Manager Melissa Hill (mhill@sacbreathe.org), Program Manager Sharon Kaur (skaur@sacbreathe.org), or call BREATHE’s office at (916)444-5900 ext.6# for more information.
Resources for Schools
Looking for tools and resources to help your district or school reduce and recycle food scraps? Visit our School Food Scraps Recycling Toolkit for handouts, signage, teacher resources, presentations and more. See below for more resources in our toolkit!
- Click here for our school Food Scraps Recycling Implementation Guide
- Check out the Super Sorting Activity Book for fun activities for kids
- Click Here to watch our updated Sort Smart and Recycle Right Video
Babcock Elementary School Case Study
In the 2022-23 academic year, Babcock Elementary School in Sacramento, California successfully implemented a Food Scraps and Recycling Program with the support of our BREATHE team. The program aims to reduce food scraps sent to landfills, education about environmental hazards, and promote environmental sustainability. Through collaboration between BREATHE, school staff, administration, and a student club; interviews were developed to implement a process for student-led involvement to monitor food scraps stations and share carts. Babcock is on its way to making a difference in the community by reducing food scraps and increasing food sustainability. This case study outlines the process of implementation, challenges, lessons learned, and best practices for a Food Scraps Recycling program in schools.
Click here for our 2022-23 Babcock Elementary School Case Study