this blog has been created to journal my internship project - a pilot program for institutional composting, beginning with the childcare center at mesa community college and ultimately including the campus cafeteria's food prep waste. the earned credits will be applied to a certificate of completion in sustainable food systems (2011 being the first year this is offered in arizona). the experience will (optimistically) be applied to the implementation of a composting program at tempe elementary schools, followed by a systemwide edible schoolyard program.
a fabulous, gigantic, 3 cubic yard, composting unit is housed on the mcc campus in the garden area. this will be ideal for institutional composting of cafeteria waste. research has brought me to the conclusion that the child center would be better servd by an in-class vermicomposting unit. the advantages are many; hands on and constant accessibility, more rapid decomposition, less contributary organic matter required, not having to travel cross campus in 100+ degree heat to dump, turn, and dampen our mixture, and of course - the worms! there will still be an early morning field trip to the campus garden to donate some of our black gold with some leftover to take home or use in an end-of-summer group planting project.
i've found a few fun, short 'how to' films on line that seem to be child appropriate. we had originally discussed a powerpoint presentation, but i think that may be a bit dry for 7-12 year olds. i'm now trying to gather materials to construct a classroom vermicompost bin.