DENVER — At Asbury Elementary in Denver, a group of students known as the Green Eagles is making a significant impact on their community's environmental efforts by tackling the issue of food waste at their school.
The Green Eagles club has taken on the responsibility of sorting food waste into recycling, compost, and landfill bins.
When students are finished with their lunches, the Green Eagles help their peers sort their food waste into the proper bin. It's the latest project in their effort to make their school — and their community — more environmentally friendly.
“They’re role models. A lot of the kids look up to them,” said Stephanie Vieau, the coordinator of the Green Eagles and a teacher at the school.
Students are not only proud of their work; they take it to heart because they understand that “this is their future, this is their planet,” said Vieau.
By learning about food waste and how to make a difference, the Green Eagles are empowering themselves and inspiring others to take action.
"When they learn about it, they start to problem solve and think about, 'well, what can I do?'" said Vieau.
In a 2019 study by the World Wildlife Fund, it was found that elementary schools produce an average of 43 pounds of food waste and 19 cartons of milk waste per student each year. However, researchers noted that with even modest intervention, students could reduce their food waste by 50%.
“DPS is a large enough district that when you run the numbers of what the impact could be for solidarity around this action, it's pretty amazing,” said Kelly Moses, sustainability coordinator for DPS.
"Cafeterias produce a lot of food waste, and that's something that students can directly affect if they learn about it," said Moses.
The enthusiasm generated by the Green Eagles has prompted parents to become more environmentally conscious, with many expressing a desire to implement composting in their homes as a result of their children’s interest in sustainability.
"I've had a lot of parents come up after me and say, 'you know, now we've got to get a compost bin because of you.' And so, they're teaching their parents what to do and that's, I think, the real exciting part," said Vieau.
“It can be really difficult at times, but the satisfaction of knowing you did something really good for your community and the environment just feels really good,” said Lincoln Byrne, a member of the Green Eagles and 5th grade student at Asbury Elementary.
With hopes of expanding their efforts, the Green Eagles aim to inspire more students to join their mission. As they continue to spread awareness and encourage eco-friendly practices throughout Asbury Elementary, these young leaders are proving that even small actions can lead to big changes in sustainability.
For more information on how schools can implement similar programs, visit the Denver Public Schools website.
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