Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Solid Waste Management (SWM) - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

Solid Waste Management (SWM)

Composting in Schools

Prepared by Lynn Malley, Assistant State Extension Specialist, SWM Lynn.malley@okstate.edu EE Expo

February 3, 2017

This material is based upon work supported under a grant by the Utilities Programs, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Utilities Programs. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

What is Extension?

Educators to “educate the citizens”

• 300 in offices in all 77 OK counties
• Generally Ag, Community/Family, 4-H
• 300 based on the Stillwater campus
• Specific specialties – research and education

Created over 100 years ago at land grant universities all

• ver the US

What Is the Purpose of the Solid Waste Management Grant?

 Provide technical assistance to communities

that are

• Small
• Rural
• Native American
• Other

 What does that mean?

• Partnering with these communities to improve

SWM

• Building bridges among those interested in SWM

 Funded by USDA Rural Development

Featured Activity - Organics Waste Diversion from Landfills

 Hot topic nationally  20-40% of landfill materials are food waste

and yard waste

 These produce higher amounts of methane

gas

 Large parts of Oklahoma are food deserts  We/schools can use the food scraps  We/schools can compost the waste  Schools can grow gardens  www.facebook.com/compostok  www.facebook.sustainableliving

What is Composting?

Natural decomposition of organic materials by microorganisms

• Insects
• Worms
• Bacteria
• Fungi, etc.

Requires organic materials and some water May or may not require air

Compost Happens

Whether contained…. Or not contained…

Compost Reduces Waste

Between 20% and 40% of landfill content is organic waste.

Methods of Composting

Bin, Tumbler, Chamber, or home made System

Commercial Scale

Windrows at CommonWealth Gardens OKC

Static Compost Pile at the OKC Zoo

4 Bin System with Pallets

Pallet Bins from Growing a Greener World

 http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/e

pisode225/

Compost Inputs and T

• ols

Inputs Fruits and vegetables Straw Grass Clippings Leaves T

• ols

Rake Shovel ? Bin ? worms

Compost Steps

High Carbon - Brown

Dead Leaves Straw Paper

High Nitrogen - Green

Produce Scraps Grass Clippings Coffee Grounds Manure

Organic Matter

Great stuff!!

• Promotes microbial growth
• Improves soil tilth (workability)
• Promotes root development
• Improves soil aeration & drainage
• Improves water retention in

sandy soils

• Lessens soil compaction
• Etc. Etc. Etc.

Organic Matter

• Matter that comes from a once-

living organism

• Is capable of decay
• Is made up of organic

compounds

Finished Compost

• The decomposed remnants
• f organic matter
• Soil Amendment
• Stable
• Dark Brown or Black
• Earthy Smell

Use of Compost

Soil amendment

50-100 lbs/100 sq. ft.

At planting in garden

In planting hole or trench

Component of potting mix

30-50% of mix

Mulching

2-3” thick

Lawn

• Soil amendment before

planting

• Top dress use up to ¼”

per year

Reasons to Compost: Food Waste = Food for People, Animals, and Plants

 Ugly veggies  Overripe crops  Compost  Advantages

• Good, local food for

people in smaller, underserved areas

• Extra unusable food

for animals

• Easily, locally made

compost

• Less need for

infrastructure

• More independence
• Interested?

Schools are opportune locations for composting

Composting is a great teaching tool

Since We Are Talking about STEM

• Science

 Where does the school’s food waste go, organic lawn waste?  Trash > landfill > methane gas  How else could the food and yard waste be used  What happens when the compost feedstock breaks down  How to make that breakdown happen slower or faster

T echnology

 How does a landfill work How is it built What byproducts are produced What machinery is used to run a landfill How are computers used in managing modern landfills

Engineering

 How is a modern landfill built  Why does there have to be a specific slope angle  Why is nightly cover required  What is the system of piping that runs through a landfill  How does the leachate pond function  What is a waste-to-energy landfill

Math

 nitrogen/carbon ratio  materials needed to build a 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 bin  differences in output of compost of the different sized bins  Money saved by diverting food and leaves from the trash?

Wala! It’s the cycle of life!

 Composting is a great tool for

reconnecting kids to the earth – they get to make it

 Growing things in soil with compost

added is a great way to make a garden and grow food

• The food can be used in the cafeteria or sent

home with the kids

• The waste from the food goes back into the

compost pile

Resources

 OCES – Lynn Malley

• https://www.facebook.com/OkstateSolidWasteMa

nagement

• https://www.facebook.com/compostok

 http://www.lifelab.org/composting/  http://compostingcouncil.org/wp/wp-

content/uploads/2015/06/Composting-at- School-0307.pdf

 http://schoolgardenproject.org/wp-

content/uploads/2013/06/Cafeteria- Composting-Manual-for-printing.pdf

Master Composters

 The program

• Training coming for

trainers in small towns around the state

• Based on the Master

Gardener program

• Trainers will donate

20-40 hours of training to others in their area

 The benefits

• Use of real food waste
• Production of a great

growing medium for local gardens

 Schools  Senior Centers  Small Communities

• Production of richer

soil for absorbing and holding water

Questions?

Lynn Malley Assistant State Extension Specialist Solid Waste Management Lynn.malley@okstate.edu 405.744.9827 W