Students reduce lunch waste with “Waste Free Wednesday”

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Students at Winter Park Elementary School are doing their part to help the environment.

“'Waste free Wednesday’ is an exciting initiative we have going on here at Winter Park,"says Principal Paul Slovik. “It started small, and it started with our students that presented us with a problem that we were sending to much trash to the landfill, especially during lunchtime.”

During lunch, students separate whats left on their trays and lunchboxes into trash, recyclables, and compost.

“It makes you feel good about yourself," says 5th grader, Zen Mahan.

"It makes you know that you’re helping to make sure our Earth stays strong,” says 4th grader Keziyah Alvarez. “As much waste goes into the landfill and as much as we waste that we don’t know it’s better to make sure that everything gets recycled and composted so all that doesn’t have to be wasted and can be used for something good.”

On average lunch days, the school produces 20 bags of trash that goes to the landfill; On ‘Waste Free Wesdesdays,’ the school averages two bags. The school has saved just about 10,000 lbs of waste as of Wednesday, February 26.

“We’ve partnered with UNCW and Wilmington Compost Company to help reduce our contribution to the landfill,” says Slovik. “Some exciting news, we’re going to expand with the help of UNCW to Tuesdays and Wednesday starting next week, March 3.”

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