Going Green: Irvington Schools Reduce Waste

IRVINGTON, NY — When Irvington Union Free School District students return to school in the fall, they will have a renewed sense of commitment and deeper responsibility to care for their environment, thanks to an expanded districtwide recycling and waste reduction program. “This is a simple, inexpensive program that the Irvington schools have embraced partly to improve recycling rates, but even more importantly, to encourage further student involvement and education about the benefits of waste reduction, composting, the economics of recycling and environmental issues in general,” said Jessica Munzel, a parent volunteer who is supporting the District’s efforts.

“A program like this highlights that even our small, day-to-day decisions can have a big impact, especially when we work together as a community,” she said.

The program, which was first launched at Main Street School as a pilot, has already been highly successful at the school. During the first year of the waste reduction program, the students, who have been working with their principal Joyce Chapnick, community members and school members, successfully accomplished their goal of reducing waste by 10 percent to 20 percent in their classrooms, hallways and cafeteria. In each classroom, hallway and office, there are three recycling bins — one for paper recycling, one for commingled recycling and another one for trash. Meanwhile, there are four bins in the cafeteria: liquid, commingled, trash and compost.

“Our students see firsthand that each one can make a difference by doing his or her part,” Chapnick said. “Our efforts to further recycle will reduce our carbon footprint, and an individual’s effort does have an impact.”

Chapnick attributed the program’s success to the collaborative efforts of parent volunteers, students, teachers, lunch aids and staff, including head custodian Angel Aviles, school secretary Sharon Regan and members of Irvington’s Green Policy Task Force. The custodial staff has also played a key role in the initiative’s success thanks to their commitment and partnership and will continue to be an integral part of the program.

Similar to Main Street School, the expanded waste reduction program at Dows Lane Elementary School will feature three recycling bins – one for paper recycling, one for commingled recycling and another one for trash – in each classroom, hallway and office. In addition, there will be four bins in the cafeteria: liquid, commingled, trash and compost. At the Irvington Middle School and Irvington High School campus, the program will be very similar, but without the compost component in the cafeteria.

“While we reuse existing bins wherever possible, the primary changes the students will notice when they return to school are some new bins and lids, new signage on or above the bins, and a place to collect liquids and or compost in their school cafeteria,” Munzel said. “Having bins next to each other, properly marked, helps to make recycling easier than wasting — it changes the default option. All of these things provide visual cues to encourage recycling and proper sorting, which is a crucial factor in being able to sell and dispose of recyclable items.”

As a way to introduce the expanded program and encourage greater student participation, rising fourth- and fifth-graders at MSS will be educated about waste reduction through assemblies and lunchtime presentations. They will also be guided by parent volunteers to properly sort items in the cafeteria. At Dows Lane, parent volunteers will give in-class presentations to all the children during the second week of school and help them properly sort items during lunchtime in the cafeteria during the first two weeks. At the middle and high schools, students and faculty will also be educated about the program and will be encouraged to further get involved in the efforts throughout the year.

Photo caption: Irvington students have taken on the responsibility to care for the environment thanks to a districtwide recycling and waste reduction program. Photo credit: Irvington Union Free School District.