MUKILTEO, Wash. -- Being the garbage police for 700 dripping, sloppy, trash tossing elementary students is even less glamorous than you might think.
“You can get dirty and sometimes they put garbage on you,” says 4th-grader Alexus Becker.
“You have to dig into people's food,” adds 10-year-old Artem Yarmil. “It's really hard because then you get all sticky!”
The two are on trash patrol in their cafeteria at Discovery Elementary in the Mukilteo School District.
Students -- on their own -- to implement a school-wide recycling program. They stopped using Styrofoam plates and plastic utensils. They started recycling their milk and juice cartons. Finally, the students partnered with custodians and Waste Management to start composting their food waste.
Different colored bins are set up in the cafeteria.
Artem, Alexus and the rest of their “Green Team” methodically monitor classmates as they dump their trash after lunch every day, often digging through tossed salads and half-eaten hamburgers to fish out an errant milk carton.
“Even if they know, I still have to tell them where to put it,” says Artem. “The plastic goes in the red. The trash goes in the green.”
The team’s efforts increased the school's recycling rate by more than 500% in the first three months. They used to fill 20 dumpsters with trash every month, now it’s under eight.
Discovery students even were recognized nationally for their efforts, receiving a Green Medal in Washington D.C.
The accolades are nice, but they say the real reward is even better.
Discovery teacher Laurie James wrote a peer-reviewed study of the program that has now been published in an international education journal.
Discovery’s system is now being used in classrooms across the country.
“This is going to be a lifelong venture for these kids,” James says. “It's going to become second nature for them to do these things.”
She says the fact her students’ work is being recycled is the biggest benefit of all.
