Highland Park Elementary students reduce food waste by nearly 9 pounds for Earth Day

A Grade 3/4 class at Highland Park Elementary put on a school-wide challenge to reduce food waste and inspire change.

“We noticed that a lot of perfectly good food is ending up in the bin and my students felt inspired to take action,” said teacher Yin Tsia. “We wanted to cut down on the amount of food being thrown into the green compost bins.”

The class came up with a fun incentive to get the whole school on board: if they could significantly cut down food waste, a few students would get to dump buckets of water over the heads of the principal and vice principal.

In the week ahead of Earth Day, the students got to work. They shared facts and tips on how to reduce food waste on the morning announcements and created posters to put up around the school.

The students monitored the green bins during lunch and weighed the food waste collected.

“The event was a huge success,” Tsia said. “Everyone had a great time, and it was amazing to see the students so involved.”

By the end of the week, the school had reduced its food waste by 8.5 pounds – and the principal and vice principal kept their promises.

“Of course, the highlight for most students was seeing their principal and vice principal get soaked – definitely a moment they won’t forget,” Tsia said.

The school also celebrated their success with a dance party, rock art, face painting, and recycled art projects.

“Our main goal was to raise awareness and inspire others to see how small actions can make a big impact,” Tsia noted. “My hope is that the students walked away realizing that taking care of the Earth doesn’t have to be complicated or boring – it can actually be fun and meaningful. Judging by their excitement and the way they jumped into every activity, I’d say the message really stuck with them.”