Middle school educator makes cafeteria conservation cool
Kathleen Albiani, home economics teacher at Toby Johnson Middle School in Elk Grove, has teens and tweens excited about reducing food waste. With the active participation of students, Albiani initiated a food waste diversion program that redirects edible food from the landfill into hungry bellies.
Perhaps as importantly, the innovative program promotes environmental stewardship and significantly enhances educators’ and students’ understanding of organic and food waste. It educates students about the importance of recycling and teaches them good habits to share with their families at home.
“We are the ones who created this issue, so it’s our collective responsibility to find a solution,” Albiani says of the society-wide effort to reduce food waste.
“We believe in imparting these essential lessons during middle school, laying the foundation for sustainable habits, and fostering a sense of responsibility towards the environment.”
Kathleen Albiani, Home economics teacher, Toby Johnson Middle School
Several years ago, the school conducted a food waste audit involving students, staff, and community members to determine the scope of their food waste initiative. Based on the results of that audit, Albiani and other staff—in collaboration with the city of Elk Grove’s Recycling and Waste Division—developed a cafeteria food share program.
Under SB 1383, the school is classified as a Tier II food generator and is mandated to make efforts to manage organic food waste, and the program stands as a stellar example of the changes the law can inspire. It is the first program of its kind in the Elk Grove Unified School District, and its success earned the city of Elk Grove and Toby Johnson Middle School an award from the Sacramento Environmental Commission.
Under the program, students make food choices during lunch and any uneaten packaged foods and whole fruits are placed in a designated food refrigeration area. This excess food is consumed by other school-aged children for snacks or is used in classroom cooking projects.
“I know the students appreciate the program because they understand that food is not being wasted and the excess food is available for them to consume,” shares Albiani.
Additionally, there are food waste bins in classrooms and positioned liberally around the school to ensure that waste is properly collected and recycled into fuel and other products.
The program doesn’t just reduce food waste but it teaches students a profound appreciation for the origins of their food and the impact of food waste. By building awareness from an early age, the program aims to inspire a generation of conscientious individuals who actively strive to minimize waste and reduce their carbon footprint. This initiative seeks to highlight the relationship between waste management practices and the broader issue of global warming, with the hope that students will make positive changes as they transition into adulthood.
“We believe in imparting these essential lessons during middle school, laying the foundation for sustainable habits, and fostering a sense of responsibility towards the environment,” Albiani says.
For more information about organic recycling in the city of Elk Grove, go to www.elkgrovecity.org/recycling-and-waste/organic-recycling.
