Successful Projects
Twelve businesses and schools agreed to take part in the Food Waste Composting for Businesses and Schools Program. Information on each participating institution and their selected composting system is provided here so that others might learn from their experience.
- Bernie and Boys Market
- Willows Lodge
- Waskowitz Outdoor Education Center
- Crestwood Elementary School
- Pacific Crest Montessori U-Pick Farm
- King Street Center
- My Favorite Caterer
- Aegis of Shoreline
- Wild Mountain Cafe
- Lake Washington Technical College
- Briarwood Elementary School
- Schuller's Bakery
- The Evergreen School
- Camp Sealth
- King's School
- Cascade Elementary School
Case Study: Bernie and Boys Market
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Earth Tub System at Bernie & Boys Market |
Business type: Grocery store
Address: 14580 N.E. 145th St., White Center, WA
Contact: Joe Salle
Telephone/e-mail: 206-248-1916 / store_158@agsea.com
System: Earth Tub (external link)
Date composting began: September 30, 2003
Amount composted: 1,350 pounds as of November 7, 2003
Amount of compost harvested: two cubic yards
Positive comments on the system: "Made really nice finished compost."
Critiques of the system: "Gets a little hard to turn sometimes."
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Case Study: Willows Lodge
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Earth Tub System at Willows Lodge |
Business type: Resort
Address: 14580 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville, WA
Contact: EagleSong
Telephone/e-mail: 206-571-1912 / eaglesong@willowslodge.com
System: Earth Tub (external)
Date composting began: November 20, 2003
Amount composted: 7702 pounds as of May 28, 2005
Amount of compost harvested: 12 cubic yards
Positive comments on the system: "Works great!"
Critiques of the system: "Took some time to figure out the system in the beginning."
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Case Study: Waskowitz Outdoor Education Center
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Earth Tub system at Waskowitz Outdoor Education Center |
Business type: Outdoor education center
Address: 45505 S.E. 150th St., North Bend, WA
Contact: Roberta McFarland, director
Telephone/e-mail: 425-277-7195
System: Earth Tub (external)
Date composting began: May 5, 2004
Amount composted: 8119 pounds as of June, 2007
Amount of compost harvested: about two cubic yards
Description of Program: Waskowitz hosts “Outdoor School” for approximately 4,000 5th and 6th graders from the Highline School district each year, as well as employing high school students as counselors for the 4 to 5 day programs. The programs emphasize conservation and environmental awareness in a natural and fun atmosphere. Food waste is directed to the Earth Tub or one of 5 worm bins managed at the Camp from the kitchen where the cooks separate that waste and from the tables. At the end of each meal the kids separate their scraps into waste that could go to the worm bins, to the Earth Tub, and to the landfill. Skits and songs, such as the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” song, celebrating the earth, recycling, and environmental principals are performed after the meals and a graph is kept charting the amount and type of waste generated to help the students increase their consciousness of food that is “extra” in order to “Reduce” what they take and throw away.
The EarthTub is currently off-line until their kitchen construction project is completed. It is co-managed and operated by Mark Schlosser, head grounds keeper. Teaching staff, and counselors are urged to become interested at a higher level, thus adding to their educational experience.
Positive comments on the system: "Looks nice, handles more of our food than the worm bins."
Critiques of the system: "Smells a little bit sometimes."
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Case Study: Crestwood Elementary School
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Earth Tub System at Crestwood Elementary School |
Business type: Public elementary school
Address: 25225 180th Ave. S.E., Covington, WA
Contact: Carol Talmadge / David Staight
Telephone/e-mail: 253-373-7634
System: Earth Tub (external)
Date composting began: April 26, 2004
Amount composted: 5285 pounds as of June, 2007
Amount of composted harvested: about 3 cubic yards
Description of Program: The food waste composting program at Crestwood was initially run by teacher, Wendy Shol who integrated lessons in weights and measures, recycling, ecology, and art into her 3rd graders activities using the EarthTub. The science club named the EarthTub “B’Eartha the pig” after a program Wendy had experienced in Iowa where the school kept real pigs to eat the food and garden wastes at the school. A very creative pig design was created for both the EarthTub and for the bags of compost that were sold under the crayoned label “B’Eartha Dirt”.
During their P.E. period, the third graders take turns collecting the food waste that was placed in paper bag lined buckets in each classroom during lunch. They weigh and estimate the volume of each bucket and record the data which Wendy transmitted to the County. Fourth Graders are allowed to take turns ‘turning’ the EarthTub. At the end of the school year the composting material in B’Eartha is evaluated and the summer used for curing. Generally, the compost is harvested from the tub and a new batch started at the beginning of the school year.
Crestwood’s dedication to the program did not end when Wendy left to go to a different school district. At principal, David Staight’s encouragement, Carol Talmadge, the school’s head custodian, who had been intimately involved with setting up and operating the system, took over operation of the food waste collection project. Additionally, Crestwood agreed to participate in an EPA funded research project, performed by WSU, King County’s Solid Waste Division, and Terre-SourceLLC, to define operational parameters to enable other EarthTub users to create better quality compost. Preliminary results of the study are expected in January 2008.
Positive comments on the system: "It's been a wonderful opportunity to engage and educate the kids. It's pretty simple to use."
Critiques of the system: "System has some bugs that need to be worked out. Top door needs to be redesigned to be held open during loading. Had problems with the auger crank."
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Case Study: Pacific Crest Farm
Business type: Private school/orchard
Address: Vashon, Washington
Contact: Jacquie Maughan /Jen Coe
Telephone: 206-789-7889 / 206-463-9002
System: Earth Tub (external)
Date composting began: March 3, 2005
Amount composted: 445 pounds as of June, 2007
Amount of composted harvested: have not yet harvested.
Description of Program: Pacific Crest Farm is operated by and for the Pacific Crest Montessori School in Seattle. The farm is managed as an organic, outdoor education experience for the Seattle Montessori students. Installation of the Earth Tub was the first step of a phased plan for expansion of their program to include week, and month-long sessions at the farm for the students. They would experience life working and living in an agricultural setting. At that point the Earth Tub would be an integral part of the program.
Positive comments on the system: ‘It will be great once we have the program running to utilize it fully’
Critiques of the system: ‘Need to figure some way to keep the material from sticking to the sides making harvest difficult’
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Case Study: King Street Center
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BioStack System at King Street Center |
Business type: Office building
Address: 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA
Contact: Kinley Deller
Telephone/e-mail: 206-296-4434 / kinley.deller@kingcounty.gov
System: BioStack (external)
Date composting began: March 6, 2003
Amount composted: 1347 pounds as of September 15, 2005
Amount of compost harvested: 442 pounds as of September 15, 2005
Positive comments on the system: "Looks great and doesn't take up much space - perfect for urban areas. It's nice that it locks up tight so people get in the habit of locking it when done and this ensures that the system is never left wide open as a written invitation to rodents. No problems with flies."
Critiques of the system: "Excessive leachate accumulates in the compost collection trays and makes a mess. We added elevated window screen material to the drawers, and it helps keep the compost up above the leachate so it isn't all mixed together, but there is still no good way to get the leachate out. Would be nice if the drawers had a drain valve of some kind. The system seems to only be able to process about 20 pounds per week."
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Case Study: My Favorite Caterer
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BioStack system at My Favorite Caterer |
NOTE: My Favorite Caterer has sadly closed their doors and their system is being transitioned to another pilot program participant. (Sept 2005)
Business type: Catering company
Address: 18728 Bothell Way N.E., Bothell, WA
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2042, Bothell, WA 98041-2042
Contact: Mary Rollins-Lund (primary contact) and Mary Pat Mitton
Telephone/e-mail: 425-485-2426 / myfavoritecaterer@hotmail.com
System: BioStack (external)
Date composting began: June 26, 2003
Amount composted: 150 gallons as of February 5, 2004
Amount of compost harvested: 12 gallons
Positive comments on the system: "The system is user-friendly and the way the drawers roll out makes the bins easy to fill. The smells stay down, and the system is unobtrusive and has fairly good aesthetics. It is a good, positive place to put our food waste instead of it going in the garbage. It creates good garden compost and provides a home for our happy little worms, which we have all named 'Jeffery.'"
Critiques of the system: "Worms end up in the compost collection drawers. The amount of water/leachate which ends up in the compost collection drawers is difficult to deal with and hard to get out of the system. It would be great if this system had a spigot for each drawer."
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Case Study: Aegis of Shoreline
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BioStack System at Aegis of Shoreline |
Note: Aegis of Shoreline relinquished ownership of their system and it was transitioned to another pilot program participant.
Business type: Retirement community
Address: 15100 First Ave. N.E., Shoreline, WA
Contact: Executive Chef
Telephone: 206-417-9747
System: BioStack (external)
Date composting began: July 7, 2003
Amount composted: 33 pounds as of July 14, 2005
Amount of compost harvested: not yet harvested
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Case Study: Wild Mountain Cafe
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BioStack System at Wild Mountain Cafe |
Business type: Restaurant
Address: 1408 N.W. 85th St., Seattle, WA
Contact: Connie Stone
Telephone/e-mail: 206-297-9453 / conniestone@wildmtncafe.com
System: BioStack (external)
Date composting began: July 10, 2003
Amount composted: 1296 pounds as of June 30, 2005
Amount of compost harvested: ~20 pounds as of June 30, 2005 (hard to calculate as it comes out in a leachate slurry).
Positive comments on the system: "Has remained rat-proof. Generally easy to use."
Critiques of the system: "Not enough airflow. Interior is filthy. Training all the people is a real pain. Hinge has rusted off, and compost harvesting pull handle has broken off. Not getting much actual compost - all leachate."
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Case Study: Lake Washington Technical College
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BioStack System at Lake Washington Technical College |
Business type: Technical college
Address: 11605 132nd Ave. N.E., Kirkland, WA
Contact: Linelle Russ
Telephone/e-mail: 425-739-8424 / linelle.russ@lwtc.edu
System: BioStack (external)
Date composting began: July 3, 2003
Amount composted: 227 lbs as of July 28, 2005
Amount of compost harvested: None (it has all been leachate)
Positive comments on the system: No comment
Critiques of the system: "We haven't been able to harvest anything but leachate."
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Case Study: Briarwood Elementary School
Business type: Public elementary school
Address: 17020 S.E. 134th St., Renton, WA
Contact: Tina Wear and Suzanne Bagdon
Telephone/e-mail: 425-837-5023 (Tina); 206-373-6216 (Suzanne) /
suzbagdon@yahoo.com
System: BioStack (external)
Date composting began: December 16, 2003
Amount composted: 138 pounds as of April 26, 2005
Amount of compost harvested: Not yet harvested
Positive comments on the system: "Works for getting rid of food waste."
Critiques of the system: "Excessive liquid ending up in the compost collection drawer."
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Case Study: Schuller's Bakery
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Plywood Box Vermicomposting at Schuller's Bakery |
NOTE: Schuller's Bakery has undergone new ownership and their system will be transitioned to a new program participant.
Business type: Neighborhood bakery
Address: Burien, Washington
Contact: Laurie Schuller
Telephone: 206-244-0737
System: Plywood box vermicomposting (built by Shaevitz and ordered through Seattle Tilth [external])
Date composting began: February 27, 2003
Amount composted: 200 lbs as of January 23, 2004
Amount of compost harvested: 75 pounds
Positive comments on the system: "Nice home for the worms."
Critiques of the system: "The worms seem to not be very happy sometimes."
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Case Study: The Evergreen School
Business type: Private elementary school
Address: 15201 Meridian Ave. S. Shoreline, WA 98133
Contact: Janet Charnley
Telephone/e-mail: 206-364-2650/ jcharnley@evergreenschool.org
System: WigWam
Date composting began: September 14, 2004
Amount composted: 129 pounds as of June 15, 2005
Amount of compost harvested: have not yet harvested
Description of Program: The Evergreen School, a private pre-K through 8th grade school in Shoreline, uses a Worm Wigwam system to vermi-compost classroom food waste from the in-class lunches primarily. The 4th and 5th grade students have a job where they go and collect the containers, weigh the food scraps in them and then empty them into the worm bin container.
Teacher Janet Charnley leads the activities and generally harvests the vermi-compost a couple of times a year. The majority of the compost has been used in a vegetable garden that the pre-schoolers plant and maintain.
Teaching about the worm bin occurs in the pre-school program and in the 4th and 5th grade. The 4th and 5th grade students learn about the worms and composting in an elective class at the beginning of the year. They create a game and information board that is used at a “Conservation Carnival” held for the Primary grades once a year.
Positive comments on the system: “The positive aspects of maintaining a worm bin have been that we have decreased the amount of garbage we generate particularly at lunch time. The students learn about composting either directly in classroom activities or indirectly because they all contribute food waste to the container.." teacher – Janet Charnley
Critiques of the system: " The only negative aspect is keeping the system healthy and working properly. For the most part we have been successful " – teacher, Janet Charnley
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Case Study: Camp Sealth
Business type: Camp
Address: 14500 SW Camp Sealth Rd Vashon, WA 98070
Contact: Valerie Knapp
Telephone/e-mail: 206-463-3174
System: WigWam 5-6
Date composting began: November 16, 2004
Amount composted: 5,003 pounds as of June, 2007
Amount of compost harvested: ~ 1000 pounds per year
Description of Program: Camp Sealth owned and operated by Camp Fire USA, a national youth development organization. In addition to a summer program for over 2,000 campers, more than 5,000 individuals participate in other camp programs, including environmental education, leadership retreats, and recreation activities.
Camp Sealth employs a Worm Wigwam 5-6, which is a moderately sized vermicomposting system to compost the food waste generated from their kitchen. The vermi-compost is then used in the kitchen garden Management of the Worm Wigwam falls to the Environmental Education Program Assistant whose term lasts only one year. Yet this dedicated group of environmental educators has diverted an average of 150 pounds of food waste per month utilizing this system. The worm bin is used to teach elementary school students about recycling and biology in their Sustainability class and is an option for the summer class. PA Bret Smith said “The kids have options of swimming, hiking, nature walk, worm bin/garden, and a bunch of other areas. I’ve taught ‘worm/garden’ about every day this summer.”
Positive comments on the system: “I liked working with 'Bread.' He taught us about worms and his Garden...” – student, anonymous.
“The Bin has a presence with its size, cranks, harvester, and flip-top lids. Students can move around, investigate, and feel a part of the vermicompost process. Students are astounded when they can compare the decomposing stench of the top to the non-existent smell of the castings in the harvester." – Bret Olson, counselor
Critiques of the system: “We are probably over feeding the bin with the amount of food scraps that camp produces from meals. We don’t have a secondary system for composting kitchen waste and so our bin tends to get compact. If this happens worms don’t eat, cast, or mate as much as before. In turn the cranking system on the bottom doesn’t do much for breaking up muddy compact product. To fix the problem you have to dig out the bottom by hand which is rewarding, sometimes stinky, and takes a bit of time. I would love to see an electric crank for the bottom, or instead of two cranks, one that grates the entire bottom of the bin." – Bret Olson, counselor
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Case Study: King’s School
Business type: Private Junior High school
Address: 19307 Crista Lane N., Shoreline, WA 98133
Contact: Judi Benjamin
Telephone/e-mail: 206-289-7930
System: Biostack
Date composting began: June 6, 2006
Amount composted: 378 pounds as of June, 2007
Amount of compost harvested: have not yet harvested
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Case Study: Cascade Elementary School
Business type: Public elementary school
Address: 16022 116th Avenue S.E., Renton, WA
Contact: Harvey Sadis
Telephone/e-mail: (425) 204-3372
System: Earth Tub (external)
Date composting began: April 26, 2004
Amount composted: 1881 pounds as of June 16, 2005
Amount of composted harvested: one cubic yard
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