The theme of composting makes it possible to bring the student to maintain a dynamic relationship with his living environment and to develop a critical eye with regard to the exploitation of the environment, but also with regard to technological development. and consumer goods.
Composting is the process of decomposition and natural transformation of organic materials such as table or garden waste. This work is accomplished naturally thanks to an extraordinary network of living beings (microorganisms, insects, earthworms, etc.) who work closely together to transform all organic matter into fertilizing and very rich soil called compost.
Composting allows you to :
- Reduce the volume of our waste
- Reduce transportation and landfill management costs
- Reduce air, water and soil pollution
- Reduce the amount of greenhouse gases from our table waste in landfills
- Enrich the soil with an excellent natural fertilizer
Benefits to compost at school are many :
- Offers great educational potential to be exploited in different courses
- Encourage students to do the same at home; multiplier effect
- Creates a super reusable fertilizer for other eco-delegated projects
- Reduces the environmental impact of our establishment
The steps to set up a composting system
Step 1: Assess the feasibility of a composting program in your community
- Target the support of actors within the establishment (management, teachers, school life)
- Appoint a person or group responsible for the “composting” project
- Obtain the cooperation of staff for the recovery of organic waste
Step 2: Choose a composting technique that’s right for your school
- Conventional composting in a compost box in direct contact with the soil
- Composting in a manual or automated rotating container
- Vermicomposting; composting carried out by earthworms, the cousins of earthworms. This allows you to compost only a small amount of material, but the container remains easy to transport. In addition, this technique works all year round. Once the method has been chosen, provide a small well-identified bin that will be used to collect organic matter (in collaboration with the eco-delegates of the “selective sorting” project).
N.B. We advise you to start with small quantities, otherwise the management could be too imposing for a first year. Start small while thinking big!