Zero Waste and Green Star Schools

Listen to BVSD's Sustainability Coordinator Ghita Carroll and Food Services Volunteer Coordinator Mary Rochelle discuss BVSD's food waste reduction efforts. 

BVSD contracts with local company Eco-Cycle​ to provide waste reduction education programming in all schools as well as collection of recyclable and compostable materials. 

Eco-Cycle also supports the Green Star Program in 38 BVSD schools. Green Star Schools strive toward zero waste by implementing composting school-wide, increasing recycling efforts, hosting special events around waste reduction and implementing other waste reduction activities in the schools. According to Eco-Cycle, “Green Star Schools are the first in the nation to reduce waste in every aspect of school life. As a result of implementing the program, up to two-thirds of the discards from each Green Star School is kept out of landfills.” 

Food Services also has taken great measures to reduce waste. According to Eco-Cycle, participation and enthusiasm for these programs has grown over the past several years. Eco-Cycle believes the amount of recycling collected has decreased because schools are decreasing paper use, and doing a better job of reuse. Composting continues to increase as we add composting programming and collections through the Green Star School program.​

BVSD Education Center is also working toward zero waste and is a Green Star facility. For questions on creating a zero waste event, email BVSD Sustainability Coordinator Ghita Carroll @ ghita.carroll@bvsd.org.

Check out Ecocyle's Green Star Schools webpage.

GREEN STAR SCHOOLS ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020

READ ABOUT A COUPLE OF BVSD'S GREEN STAR CUSTODIANS IN THE LATEST ISSUE OF GREEN STAR NEWS