School District: Riverview
School Location: Carnation
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: May 2012

Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2013

Waste reduction and recycling (level one)

• Stillwater Elementary maintained a recycling rate of 50 percent throughout 2012-13.
• Stillwater regularly promoted waste reduction and recycling practices through school announcements and parent newsletters.
• From January through February 2013, in a display case near its main office, Stillwater exhibited information about being a Green School and tips on how to recycle and compost.
• In May 2012, students measured the amount of compostable materials discarded after lunch. Each lunch period averaged 15 pounds of food waste and food soiled paper.
• As a result of the May 2012 compostable materials audit, the school installed a BioStack worm composting system in the school garden to collect lunchtime compostable materials. The Garden Club used the finished compost in the school’s garden.
• Second-grade students learned about decomposition during King County classroom workshops in 2012, and they helped to monitor the Bio-Stack worm composting system.
• During 2012-13, parent volunteers trained ASB students to assist their peers to sort recyclable and compostable materials in the lunchroom.
• Bulk dispensers and durable lunch trays and utensils reduced waste in the lunchroom.
• A share table in the lunchroom for unopened packaged food items decreased food waste.
• Custodians Mike Nelson and Rick Bouloumpas supported the school’s waste reduction and recycling efforts by emptying hallway recycling containers, monitoring outdoor collection containers, and repurposing furniture and materials for reuse.
• In April 2013, third-grade students collected recyclable materials to create outfits and sculptures featured in a school “trashion” show.
• Science classes incorporated waste reduction and recycling lessons. Many materials in the science room were repurposed and reused.
• Staff bulletins, parent newsletters, calendars and other announcements were sent electronically to reduce paper use.
• Office staff members printed double-sided copies.
• In 2011-12, recyclable paper collected by custodians decreased from five bags to two bags per day after the school shared messages about reducing paper use.

Awards

• Custodians Mike Nelson and Rick Bouloumpas received a King County Earth Hero at School award in April 2012.

For more information about the school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:

Pamela Parks, PTSA science chair
pamela@studio-nemo.com

Mike Nelson, custodian
nelsonm@riverview.wednet.edu