School District: Kent
School Location: Kent
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: November 2011

Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2012

Waste reduction and recycling

• Millennium Elementary has a recycling rate of 53 percent.
• Thanks to increased recycling, the school decreased garbage collection service from twice per week to once per week.
• The school promotes waste reduction and recycling practices through regular classroom and lunchtime announcements. The parent newsletter has also been used to promote the school’s conservation activities.
• Michele Page, head custodian, placed recycling stickers on all recycling containers, and supports the school’s recycling efforts by overseeing lunch time recycling and monitoring outdoor collection containers.
• Classrooms, offices, and the cafeteria have recycling containers, and the school recycles paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and milk cartons.
• Straws and plastic-wrapped packets of utensils, straws, and napkins have been eliminated. In their place, bulk dispensers offer an individual selection of unwrapped utensils and napkins.
• Fifth grade classrooms have paper reuse boxes for paper that's only been printed on one side.
• To reduce use of paper and toner, photocopier default is set to double-sided, and printers were removed from classrooms and either sent to surplus or recycled with other electronic waste.
• Smart boards in classrooms decrease paper use. Reusable supplies are available in teacher classrooms and in the teacher workroom.
• The staff break room has a dish washer that encourages teachers to use durable, reusable containers.
• The central district kitchen donates leftover edible food that cannot be used prior to its expiration date.

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

Beth Gilbertson, environmental services supervisor, Kent School District
beth.gilbertson@kent.k12.wa.us