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TRANSCRIPT
Composting at SchoolA practical guide on how to achieve successful
composting, worm farming and bokashi systems.
www.createyourowneden.org.nz
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Acknowledgements
This school resource has been funded and produced by the Create your own Eden(CYOE) Partner Councils, in conjunction with GHD Ltd and the Kaipatiki Project.
Written by:Danielle KennedyMelanie BuchananRosie Hutchinson
CYOE Partner Councils 2009:Auckland City CouncilFranklin District CouncilManukau City CouncilNelson City CouncilNorth Shore City CouncilPapakura District CouncilRodney District CouncilTasman District CouncilWaste Net Southland
Thank you to all the teachers who contributed their time to review and critique the draftversion of this resource. Your valuable comments have enabled us to create a practicaland useful resource.
A special thanks to the following schools for allowing details and photographs of theircomposting systems to be included in this resource:Edmund Hillary SchoolHira SchoolMatakana Primary SchoolSelwyn CollegeVictory Primary SchoolWaiau Pa Primary SchoolWaiheke PrimaryWillow Park SchoolWinton Kindergarten
Thank you also to the following organisations and school facilitators for providingtechnical advice and for allowing the use of images and activities in this publication:Worms R Us www.wormsrus.co.nzBokashi NZ www.boakshi.co.nzThe Enviroschools Foundation www.enviroschools.org.nzAuckland Regional Council www.arc.govt.nzNorth Shore City CouncilMinistry of Education EFS AdvisorsRon SperberSarah LangiNicky Elmore
Further information about the Create your own Edenprogramme offered by CYOE Partner Councils, and formore resources, workshops and incentives for homecomposting, visit: www.createyourowneden.org.nz
August 2009
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Contents
1. Introduction 4
2. Key people to involve 6
3. Engaging your local community 8
4. Types of composting systems 9
5. How to choose the right school system 10
6. How to set up and maintain your school compostingsystem 12
7. Composting at school 15
8. Worm farming at school 20
9. Using Bokashi at school 28
10. Health and safety 33
11. Successful school composting 35
12. Extending your compost system 43
13. Additional resources 45
14. Notes page 46
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1. Introduction
The purpose of this resource is to provide guidance to teachers, school staff, caretakers andstudents on composting at school. It includes information on the key people to involve, how toengage the local community and it showcases a variety of successful school systems. It alsooutlines health and safety considerations.
This guide provides practical assistance and checklists to ensure schools make the correctchoice of composting system and to ensure that the construction, set up, maintenance andmonitoring of each school compost system runs smoothly.
This guide forms part of a set of resources developed by the CYOE Partner Councils for use byteachers and school staff. It should be used in conjunction with the websitewww.createyourowneden.org.nz. This website contains the following teaching resources:
» Curriculum integration with an inquiry approach to learning about composting.
» Composting information, facts, a glossary and activity ideas for teachers.
» A data collection sheet.
» Seven learning activities.
» Three posters.
» Links to useful websites and a list of relevant school journals and books.
Why reduce waste?The main reasons we need to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill are to conserve ournatural resources and to limit the environmental effects of landfills.
As well as taking up space in a landfill, organic waste is damaging to the environment when itbreaks down inside a landfill, producing toxic leachate and methane gas. Leachate can damagewaterways and aquatic life if it reaches local streams. Methane gas can cause dangerous fireswithin landfills and is also a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
By reducing and composting organic waste instead of burning or incinerating it we can alsoreduce air pollution, reduce odours and help to stop the release of greenhouse gases.
Why compost?Around half of the waste we produce at home is organic generated in kitchen and garden. Thiswaste can easily be composted. It is similar situation at school. Each day food scraps andgarden waste that could be composted at school are instead put in a rubbish bin and sent to alandfill.
The composting process captures the nutrients of organic materials and returns them to the soil.This is nature’s way of recycling. The following diagram shows the closedloop cycle of makingand using compost. Using compost to enrich the soil can mean there is a reduced need to usecommercial fertilisers and other harmful chemicals.
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A closedloop compost cycle
The following diagram shows how organic materials move through a cycle of growth (in thegarden), utilisation (by people as food), and recycling (as organic material). The nutrientscontained in the organic waste material gathered for recycling can then be recovered bytraditional composting, worm farming or using bokashi systems. After this, the resulting compostproduct is returned to the soil. This whole process is called a closedloop cycle. It ensuresvaluable nutrients are kept within the earth’s carbon cycle and are not lost as waste, burnt orburied in a landfill. This type of cycle is also referred to as a gardentoplatetogardenphilosophy.
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2. Key people to involve
Who should we tell about our composting system?There are many key people in the school and wider community to involve when beginning acomposting system or project. Everyone has a different role to play. Key people include:
» Principal and senior management
» Board of trustees
» Teaching and support staff
» Property manager, caretaker, cleaners and grounds keepers
» Students, including the school envirogroup
» Parents and families
» Rubbish and gardening contractors
» Local community members, including school neighbours
Where do we start?Organise a meeting of all those interested to share ideas, set some goals and think about whatresources you’ll need. Include interested students and staff, your principal, a member of theboard of trustees and also your property manager, caretaker and/or gardener. Invite interestedparents or local families to come along too.
Students should be involved at every stage, as this gives them a sense of ownership of thecomposting systems. Activities that students can participate in include: applying for funding,organising and planning, choosing the composting system site location, sourcing andpurchasing materials, educating the school about the systems, and care and maintenance ofthe systems.
Who will be responsible for the system?Ideally students will take primary responsibility for yourschool compost system. However, they need support fromone or two key teachers and the caretaker. Students arecapable of most daily maintenance tasks if they are shownexactly what to do. See Section 10 for relevant health andsafety considerations for operating school compostingsystems.
It is vital that the school property manager, caretaker,cleaners, and/or grounds keepers are involved in setting upand maintaining the school composting system. Ask them tobe involved when you first decide to start a system. They areusually the key people responsible for maintaining systemsover the school holidays and so may need some initialcomposting training or assistance. It is preferable that theyare involved in solving problems that arise with the schoolcompost system. Refer them to this guide, in particular thefrequently asked questions and common problems sections.
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Who should collect food scraps?Ideally students would collect food scraps from dedicated locations around the school, likeclassrooms and staff rooms. They could then take the food scraps to a central composting site.An environmental group, a senior class or a roster of classes could do this during the schoolyear. Involve students from different year groups to allow for continuity of trained student teammembers from one year to the next. For further information, see Section 6.
How do we tell people about our system and how to use it?Educating the school community about the school composting system is an important part ofensuring it is used correctly. Once students have completed a waste audit on the amount oforganic waste thrown away at school, they can communicate the results via presentations toclasses and assemblies, the school newsletter and the school website. Telling the whole schoolabout how the composting system works once it is set up can be communicated in similar ways.
Students and teachers will need to know where collection bins for food scraps are located. Binsneed to be in obvious and accessible locations such as in classrooms, beside outdoor schoolrubbish bins, in the staff room and by the school canteen. People also need to know what kindof organic wastes can and cannot go into these collection bins. Students can spread thesemessages by creating and putting up posters at key bin locations and in classrooms. Regularreminders are required for an effective composting system.
See the Create your own Eden Teachers Resource for information on curriculum integration,the inquiry learning process, and various composting systems. There are also related learningactivities designed to involve students in school composting systems. These can bedownloaded from www.createyourowneden.org.nz
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3. Engaging your local community
How do we encourage people to compost more?There are a number of ways in which a school can use the topic of composting to engage theirlocal community.
Inform the school community – teachers and parents, as well as community groups andmembers about what composting systems the school intends to set up. The local community isa wealth of information that your school could tap into for free.
Parents and family members of students may be able to assist in building and setting up schoolcompost systems. Materials for constructing bins could be donated; and local businesses orcouncils could assist in funding systems.
Contact local media, including your local newspaper, to profile your school compostingventures. This will ensure that the community has the opportunity to get involved and it willincrease community awareness of composting.
Teachers can encourage students to internalise composting messages and then take thesemessages home by carrying out the learning activities and investigations suggested in theCreate your own Eden Teachers Resource found at www.createyourowneden.org.nz. Teacherscan also foster an increase in home composting by giving students specific learning activities forhomework, such as investigating their household waste.
Your school could host composting workshops in conjunction with the local council for parentsand local residents to attend. The school could be used as a composting demonstration site forthe community to view how composting works. This would also help to gain a reputation foryour school as being environmentally aware.
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4. Types of composting systems
How are the three composting systems different fromeach other?This section provides an overview of three different types of composting systems – traditionalcomposting, worm farming and bokashi systems.
Differences between the systems:
» Different materials can be broken down.» Different processes take place (anaerobic or aerobic, varying temperatures and/or
times).» Different organisms are involved (microorganisms and/or worms).» Different products are produced (solid and/or liquid).» Different sized systems are suitable for different uses (home, school or commercial
use).Below is quick reference guide to what materials are suitable for each system.
Type of organic waste Compostbin
Wormfarm
Bokashiunit
Grass clippings
ü
Tree prunings and leaves
ü
Food scraps(uncooked, excluding meat and dairy)
ü ü ü
All food scraps(including cooked food)
ü
Paper products(including torn paper, cardboard, egg cartons and paper towels)
ü ü
Posters of what should and should not be put into the different systems are found atwww.createyourowneden.org.nz
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5. How to choose the right school system
What system is best for our school?There are a number of factors your school needs to consider in order to determine if it requiresa composting system and if so, what the most suitable type of system is. These factors,affecting the type and amount of organic waste your school produces, are outlined below.
The size of your school
The physical size of the school grounds and the number of students attending the school willaffect the amount of organic waste that is generated and disposed of at your school. Theamount of garden waste (grass clippings and tree prunings) your school disposes of will dependon the size of school gardens and fields and on whether or not this material is left on site orremoved by a garden contractor. The number of students will affect the amount of food wastedisposed of at your school – the more students there are, the more lunch waste will begenerated. It is estimated that a school of 500 students can generate around 25 litres of foodper day.
Your school lunch policy and facilities
If your school has a cafeteria, tuckshop, and/or has staff room cooking facilities, the amount offood waste generated and disposed of will be more than if the only food brought onto the schoolgrounds is in packed lunches. Also consider food waste from Food Technology and/orHospitality classes. If your school has a ‘litterless lunches’ policy of sending all leftover foodhome with students, the amount of food waste disposed of at school will be minor and a fullschool composting system may not be required.
What type of learning do you want students to undertake?
Another consideration is the type of learning youwish your students to undertake. Some schoolschoose to have all three systems – traditionalcompost, worm farm and a bokashi unit – workingas a demonstration for students. Other schoolschoose one or two systems to cater for the type andamount of organic waste they produce at theirschool. Many schools choose composting systemsthat are actively managed by the students, withsome systems situated directly in learning areas.Other schools decide on a system that is managedby the property manager or caretaker. Compostingsystems come in many sizes and so it is possible tochoose a system that is suitable for each individualclass to look after.
Find out what organic waste is produced at your school
To find out the type and amount of organic waste your school produces, it is recommended thatyou conduct a school waste audit. This involves measuring and weighing a day’s or a week’sworth of rubbish from your school. For further information visit www.createyourowneden.org.nzto download the waste audit activity. This will also link you to the nationalwww.measuringchange.org.nz website.
Refer to the table in the previous section, ‘Types ofcomposting,’ to see which system is the most suitable for thetype of organic waste your school produces. It is likely thatyour school may need to use two different systems to dealwith all the organic waste it produces, or perhaps you justwant to choose one to begin with. The waste audit will alsohelp you to assess the size of the composting system and thenumber of bins your school will require (see Sections 79 forfurther information on individual system requirements).
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The advantages and disadvantages of each system
The following table provides a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of different typesof composting system.
Traditional Composting Worm Farming Bokashi» Traditional composting
uses food, garden andsome paper waste.
» It is relatively easy andcheap to obtain, buy orconstruct compost bins.
» A large amount ofcompost can beproduced.
» Most systems requiremanual turning.
» Worm farms are greateducational tools andinterest young children.
» Smallscale systems canbe kept in or nearclassrooms.
» Worm farms producesolid and liquidfertilisers.
» There are many storebought smallscale wormfarms available.
» Worm farms can takepaper.
» Worm farms do not takegarden waste.
» Worms need to bepurchased and lookedafter.
» Worm farms need to bekept in a shelteredlocation.
» Largescale worm farmscan be expensive to setup.
» Small systems can beused indoors.
» The initial process is fast.» It takes cooked food
waste, meat and dairyproducts and bread.
» It doesn’t take garden orpaper waste.
» It requires the purchase ofan effective microorganism (EM) activator(CompostZing).
» It requires a compost binor soil (ground area) totrench materials into, inorder to complete theprocess.
» Largescale schoolsystems are not yet wellestablished.
Costs of different systems
Composting, worm farming and bokashi systems require ongoing attention and maintenance,but are relatively low cost to run. However the initial costs to set up a system may influence thetype of system you choose. Your school can choose to purchase either a storebought orcustombuilt system, or alternatively invest in a low cost ‘doityourself’ option.
Funding
There are many ways to fund a school composting system. Your school may have specificproject or unit budgets to pay for the materials required to set up a composting system, or youcould undertake fundraising. Ask the local community to donate time and physical resources.Get local businesses to sponsor compost bins, worm farms or bokashi units. Check with yourlocal council to see if they have funding available for compost units or advisors to help you setthem up. Some local councils provide onsite training for teachers and caretakers on how tomaintain compost systems. District health boards and regional councils have also been knownto fund compost systems and there are also many environmental funds available to initiateschool sustainability programmes, which include composting.
The type of bins you choose for your school will be based on the factors discussed above andcould include any or all of the following: small storebought household scale systems, largecommercial scale systems, custom built wooden bins and boxes, and repurposed items such asbaths. This guide will help you to assess which composting system(s) compost, worm farm orbokashi will be best for your school. The pros and cons of each system are discussed in thefollowing sections. Section 11 of this guide provides case studies that highlight successfulexamples of school composting systems in early childhood centres, primary schools andsecondary schools.
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6. How to set up and maintain a schoolcomposting system
Where do we start?There are several factors crucial to the success of setting up a school composting system. Onceyou’ve chosen the type and size of your system, you then need to pick a suitable location site.Consider shade, shelter, slope of ground, access to classrooms, and student access. Considertoo that the site needs to be located at a sufficient distance from neighbours and that it needs tobe out of sight to avoid vandalism.
Your school can choose a storebought bin or make a custombuilt system. You need toconsider how the system will be maintained if you are constructing your own (i.e. how to make itstudent friendly and easily accessible).
You can involve the students in the design and building of the composting unit. You can alsorecruit members of the school and wider community – parents, local community group membersand the caretaker – to assist with the construction of your school system.
Sections 79 of this guide outline some ways to set up different types of composting systems traditional compost bins, worm farms and bokashi units.
How should our school collection work?You will need to consider how you will collect food scraps from your school to feed the compostsystem. Decide where collection bins will be located, who will empty these into the system andwho will return clean collection containers to collection points. In many schools this is theresponsibility of a student environmental group and is overseen by the caretaker. There is noright or wrong way for schools to collect organic waste for their composting system. Thefollowing list provides a guide of the kinds of daily collection tasks that students can get involvedin:
» Emptying food waste collection containers/bins into the compost bin, worm farm orbokashi unit once a day.
» Putting bins out and collecting them again at the end of morning tea and lunchbreaks.
» Rinsing collection containers/bins and storing them again until the next day, orreturning the bins to their designated location if they are going to be left out forstudents to use throughout the day.
» Emptying food scraps into the composting system and spreading or layering, asrequired.
» Recording the amount of waste and the frequency it is added to the school system.
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How do we make our system work in the longterm?As well as daily collection tasks performed by students, there are also weekly or ‘as needed’tasks that are more suitable for the school property manager or caretaker to perform. Studentscan still be involved in applying compost to school gardens once it is ready.
Assign responsibility for:
» Maintaining the bins;
» Adding garden waste from the school grounds to the bin, if appropriate;
» Turning compost or trenching bokashi, as required;
» Removing compost, castings and/or bokashi once it is ready to add to your schoolgarden or grounds; and
» Maintaining compost systems over extended school holiday periods.
Ensure a suitable contact person, most likely the school caretaker, is nominated to provideassistance if there are problems with your school compost system. In some schools it may bemore suitable for the nominated school composting ‘expert’ to be a teacher or even a localparent.
It is a good idea to keep a record of the amount and type of organic waste you are putting intoyour system, along with any water and/or additives you put in. This will enable you to track overtime the success of your system and discover the cause of any problems that might occur (e.g.due to overfeeding or changes in pH or temperature).
What tools and equipment will we need?Your school will need some equipment other than a compost bin, worm farm or bokashi unit tomaintain your composting system. Some suggestions are provided here:
» Bins/containers for collecting food scraps. Tenlitre buckets with handles aresuggested for smaller systems and 120140 litre wheelies bins are suggested forlarger scale systems, although wheelie bins are more difficult to empty. Collectionbins can be lined with plastic bags.
» Clear signage and posters both on the collection bins and at the designated collectionareas, so students and staff know what can go in the bins.
» Personal protective equipment gloves need to be worn at all times when collectingfood scraps and working with compost.
» A stool located at the compost bin, worm farm or bokashi unit for smaller students toreach when adding food scraps to the system.
» A watering can or similar vessel for adding water to your composting systems asrequired.
» Tools for turning the compost, such as a pitchfork or spade.
» Compost additives or activators such as lime or CompostZing may need to bepurchased, depending on the type of system your school is using.
» Tools to remove the compost, castings or bokashi once it is ready, such as a trowel orspade and containers to collect any liquid fertiliser your school system produces.
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Data collection chartThis chart can be used by students, key teachers and the caretaker to record what is being putinto the compost system and to make regular notes and observations. A version of this chart(which is easy to photocopy) is found at www.createyourowneden.org.nz. An example isprovided below:
Date Type of organicmatter added
Amountadded
Additives:WaterLime
Notes:Temperature,pH, sights and
smells
20 April Food scraps fromthe staff room 1 bucket
25 April Paper towels 2 bins 500ml water
How do we know when the compost is ready to use andwhat do we do with it?Different systems take different times toproduce finished compost ready for use ongardens or pot plants. There are also differentapplications and dilutions required for thevarious composting products produced byeach system. Sections 79 of this guideprovide information specific to identifyingwhen the composting process is complete foreach system and how to use each product.
Keys to success:Use this simple checklist to ensure you have considered they key factors that result in a schoolcomposting system that is successful in the longterm.
» Measure your organic waste.
» Choose the most appropriate system.
» Involve the caretaker.
» Assign roles to students.
» Provide clear signage.
» Use the right tools.
» Check the system regularly.
» Record results.
» Refer to the problem solving information.
» Keep the whole school informed of progress with composting.
The next sections provide stepbystep guidance to each of the three different types ofcomposting systems you can operate at school.
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7. Composting at school
Traditional composting what is it?Traditional composting is an aerobic process (i.e. it occurs in thepresence of oxygen), which mimics nature by ‘recycling’ organicmaterial. Organic material is broken down by bacteria, fungi andother beneficial insects and microorganisms. Aerobiccomposting enables us to recover the nutrients from nitrogencontaining food scraps and garden waste (green waste) and fromcarboncontaining dried leaves, sawdust, hay and paper (brownwaste).
Compost takes approximately 10 weeks to mature and be readyfor use if actively turned and maintained (hot composting). Ifwastes are added to a compost pile and left, as is often the casewith commercially bought plastic compost bins, it will take around20 weeks for compost to be ready for use (cold composting).
What can be composted?Compost should be made up mostly of brown, carbonrich materials, in a 30:1 ratio to green,nitrogenrich materials. This equates roughly to adding half brown materials and half greenmaterials (as brown material is often high in carbon, whereas nitrogen content in greenmaterials can be much lower). The best decomposition will take place when there is slightlymore carbon than nitrogen (by volume) present in the compost bin.
Garden waste including grass clippings, leaves and thin tree pruningscan be composted. Organic kitchen waste, including fruits andvegetables, dead flowers, teabags, coffee grinds and eggshells can becomposted. Also manure from herbivores like horses can becomposted, as can paper and cardboard materials that breakdownwhen wet, such as paper towels and shredded paper.
A poster showing the types of green and brown materials that should go in a compost bin canbe found online at www.createyourowneden.org.nz
What should not be composted?Meat and bones, bread, cooked food including pasta and rice, dairy products and noxiousweeds should not be composted. Although meat can be hot composted, it is recommended thatit not be composted at school, due to the risk of attracting rodents. Some school paper artworkis not suitable for composting as it contains paints and glues.
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Choosing a composting system
Is composting right for our school?See Section 6 of this guide for tips on how to choose theright system for your school. You will need to consideryour school size, policy, facilities and learning outcomes.You will also need to conduct a school waste audit todetermine the amount of food and garden waste yourschool currently produces.
For further information and to download the waste auditactivity, visit www.createyourowneden.org.nz. Thisactivity will also link you to the nationalwww.measuringchange.org.nz website.
Conducting a waste audit will also help you to assess thesize of the system your school needs, i.e. the capacityand number of bins that you will require. The size andtype of your bin will be determined by how much foodand garden waste your school produces. A 340400Lstorebought plastic compost bin can take around 10kgof organic waste per week. Larger commerciallyproduced bins can take up to 20kg per week.Homemade compost bins can take around 25kg perweek, per cubic metre of bin space.
Consider the following benefits and disadvantages of composting:
» Traditional composting uses food, garden and some paper wastes.
» It is relatively easy and cheap to obtain, buy or construct compost bins.
» A large amount of compost can be produced.
» Most systems require manual turning.
Constructing and setting up a schoolcomposting system
Where do we start?Commercially made storebought plastic compost bins are available for purchase from localgarden centres and hardware stores. You can purchase several of these in order to manageyour school’s organic waste and simply follow the setup instructions to construct these.Alternatively you can custom build your own compost bins to suit your school needs.
Where should we put our compost bin?» Choose a location for your bin that is both accessible and sunny.
» Compost bins should be placed directly on the soil – dig up the soil lightly beforesituating your bin in your chosen location.
» Consider a site that is located at a sufficient distance from neighbours and out of sightto avoid vandalism.
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How do we build a school system?Making your own compost system is covered briefly in the CYOE composting ‘how to’ guide atwww.createyourowneden.org.nz.
The following section gives an outline of the types of systems you can expect to make withoutpurchasing a storebought compost system. It also provides tips on things to consider whenchoosing and building your school compost system.
» In order to sufficiently heat up, a compost bin should be at least 1 metre wide, by 1metre deep, by 1 metre high.
» Operating two compost bins will allow you to keep composting while the first binmatures.
The following websites contain stepbystep instructions for building and constructing varioustypes of custommade compost bins:
http://www.backyardgardener.com/compost/
www.solidwaste.org/solidwaste/sub.aspx?id=5114www.digitalseed.com/composter/bins
http://www.compostinfo.com/tutorial/Bins.htm
Types of homemade compost binsWooden Pallet Compost Bin
Extra compartments can be easily added to suit your needs.
Stackable Wood Compost Bin
Start a new compartment by removing the upper tiers of the original bin, turningthe compost into them and rebuilding layers on the first bin.
Mesh Wire Compost Bin
This bin can be lined with plastic to retain moisture in dry climates.
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Maintaining and monitoring a system
How do we make our system work?Once you’ve made or bought your compost bins, set them up in the following way:
» Start with a layer of twigs or sticks in the base about 10cm high.
» Add a layer of soil.
» Regularly add layers of green and brown materials to the bin, approximately a handswidth in depth.
» Turn and mix up the compost every 12 weeks to aerate and speed updecomposition. This can be done manually with a garden pitchfork or spade, movingthe cooler edges of the pile into the centre.
» Add a good mix of green and brown materials.
» Add water if the compost becomes brittle or dry.
» Cover the bin with a lid or piece of carpet to avoid excessive moisture inside the bin.
» Check your compost to make sure it is heating up in the centre (3060° C).
» Sprinkle on lime or untreated wood ash to help balance pH and reduce smells.
» Speed up the process by adding finely shredded materials, layering and turning well.
» Stop adding materials when the bin is full, but keep turning it and move onto fillingyour second bin.
Schools are likely to have more green materials, such as food scraps readily available thanbrown materials. Those responsible for the school compost system may actively need to findsufficient volumes of brown materials, such as dry leaves, paper towels, paper and cardboard toadd to the compost bin.
Using compost
How do we know when the compost is ready to use?If compost is well maintained and turned often it can be ready in as little as 68 weeks, howeverif wastes are added and left (cold composting) it will take 20 weeks or longer for compost to beready for use. Compost is ready when it becomes a dark, crumbly material that looks like soiland you can no longer distinguish the original materials in it. When ready, either remove thecompost from the bin with a pitchfork or remove the bin from the pile (if using a plastic storebought bin). Some bins have trap doors at the base from which to remove the finished compost.Compost can be removed from the bin by students, but is recommended that this is done withsupervision or by the caretaker, as manual lifting is generally involved.
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How should we use the finished compost?» Apply compost to soil in the garden in spring and summer so that plants benefit from
the nutrients over the growing season. It should either be dug into the topsoil ormulched onto the school garden surface.
» Apply a layer of compost to the surface of pot plants as mulch and the nutrients willslowly release as the plant is watered.
» Mix one part compost, one part good soil and one part leaf mould to create a useablepotting mix. Compost should never be used alone as a potting mix as it is too rich forseeds and seedlings.
» Give away or sell compost to the parents of students at your school.
Common problems and solutionsThe most common concern about school compost bins is how to manage them over the schoolholidays. Compost bins and heaps can generally be left over the holidays without problems(although they may require turning during extended periods of more than two weeks). A localparent may be able to check in on the compost bins if required and the caretaker is unavailable.The following table provides some solutions to common problems.
Problem Cause Solution
Smelly, slimy heap Not enough air, too wet ortoo much nitrogen
Turn heap and add brownmaterial (e.g. dry leaves)
Materials are notdecomposing
Heap too small, notenough heat or materials
are too large
Increase size of heap, addgreen materials and water,
break materials into small bits
Pests e.g. flies,rats, cockroaches
and mice
Wrong food added or binnot rodent proof
Bury food scraps in centre ofheap and don’t add meat etc.
Rodent proof your bin withchicken wire
Fruit flies Heap is too acidic Sprinkle lime on heap
Ants Heap is too dry Add water and lime
Beetles and worms These are not a problem– they are essential to the
composting process
Do nothing – enjoy their hardwork!
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8. Worm farming at school
Worm farming what is it?Worm farming is the process of using tiger worms in an artificialecosystem to convert organic waste into nutrientrich fertiliser. Thisprocess is also called ‘vermiculture’. Solid castings and a liquid areproduced as worms digest and excrete food and paper waste. Theseproducts known as vermicast and vermiliquid provide beneficialnutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) for the soil,encouraging plant growth.
Vermicast can either be diluted into a liquid fertiliser for plants or beused in solid form as a compostlike soil conditioner to mix in with soilin order to enrich it.
Vermiliquid (also called worm ‘tea’ or worm ‘wee’) is the liquidproduced in a worm farm. It is used as a liquid plant food that is high inminerals and nutrients.
What can worms eat?Worms can eat organic waste from the kitchen (except the itemslisted in the section below), including teabags, ground coffeebeans, eggshells, paper and cardboard that breaks down whenwet, paper lunch bags, serviettes, paper towels, (unwaxed) lunchpaper, hair trimmings, vacuum cleaner dust, and even toeclippings!
You should aim to include about 20 percent paper and 80 percentfood scraps in your school worm farm (by volume). This provides agood living environment and food source for the worms. Addingitems such as shredded paper and screwed up paper towels orlunch paper will ensure the worm farm remains aerated and doesnot become too wet.
What should not be put in a worm farm?Do not put garden waste, citrus fruits or peals, spicy foods (such as onion, garlic and peppers),meat, oils and fats, cooked food, bread, dairy food, or plastic into your worm farm.
Biodegradable bags (such as those made out of cornstarch) may be used to collect food scrapsfor the worm farm. If these are added to the worm farm they must be torn or cut up, or they willnot break down and will create a barrier blocking airflow and access to food for the worms.
A poster showing the types of materials than should and should not go in a worm farm can befound online at www.createyourowneden.org.nz.
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Choosing a worm farm
Is worm farming right for our school?See Section 6 of this guide for tips on how to choose the right system for your school. You willneed to consider your school size, policy, facilities and learning outcomes. You will also need toand conduct a school waste audit to determine the amount of food and garden waste yourschool produces. For further information visit www.createyourowneden.org.nz to download thewaste audit activity, which links to the national www.measuringchange.org.nz website.
The waste audit will also help you to assess the size of the system your school needs, i.e. thecapacity and number of bins you will require. The size and type of worm farm your schoolrequires will depend on how much food waste your school produces.
Tiger worms can eat up to their own weight in food each day (one litre of organic waste can beconsidered equivalent to one kilogram of organic waste). The worm farm can be fed either smallquantities of food on a daily basis, or worms can survive on less frequent, but larger feedings,such as once every two weeks. Apply approximately 10 litres of food scraps and 3 litres ofpaper to 2 square metres of wormbed surface area daily. Surface area is the most importantconsideration when determining the capacity of a worm farm. It is estimated that a worm farmwith a surface area capacity of 2 square metres will cater for approximately 500 students.
Worm farms come in different shapes and sizes. Storebought plastic household worm farmsare pestproof, but are small and take a limited amount of food waste. Larger custombuilt wormfarms can take increased volumes of food waste, but may need more management. Thefollowing table outlines the capacity of some popular worm farms.
Type of worm farm Amount of wasteprocessed per week
Initial weight ofworms required
Can O Worms 45L 0.250.5kg
Modula crate bin 45L 0.250.5kg
Worm A Round 68L 0.51kg
Reused bath tub 10L 12kgWooden Boxed frame
1x1mtr 50L 23kg
Commercial scalecustom built models(per square metre)
4kg 4kg
It will take 12 terms for your worms to breed and multiply enough to process the specifiedquantities of waste in the above table. Worms self regulate their population to the size of theworm farm.
Consider the following advantages and disadvantages of worm farming:
» Worm farms are great educational tools and interestyoung children.
» Smallscale systems can be kept in or nearclassrooms.
» Worm farms produce solid and liquid fertilisers.» There are many storebought smallscale worm farms
available.» Worm farms can take paper wastes.» Worm farms do not take garden wastes.» Worms need to be purchased and looked after.» Worm farms need to be kept in a sheltered location.» Largescale worm farms can be expensive to set up.
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Constructing and setting up a schoolworm farm
Where do we start?If your school chooses a storebought bin such as a ‘Can O Worms’, ‘Worm A Round or amodular crate bin, put the bin together as per the manufacturer’s instructions. If you choose alarge custommade bin, the supplier will usually install it and set it up for your school.
Where can we buy a worm farm and worms?Contact details of suppliers of worm farms and worms can be found atwww.createyourowneden.org.nz, from you local council or in the yellow pages directory.
Types of worm farmsThe following section outlines the different small and largescale worm farm systems currentlyavailable on the market that are suitable for school settings. All sizes of worm farm have a lidand will have aeration holes for worms to breathe. Most also have a tap for removing liquidfertiliser produced. Most are also elevated off the ground on legs to stop pests getting into theworm farm.
Smallscale worm farmsTypically, small worm farms designed for household use have a layer system. Worms occupy alayer and make castings until the layer is full. Then additional layers are added and wormsmove into these, while the layers full of castings are removed. These systems should also havea base to collect the liquid produced by the worms and a tap to remove the liquid. Photographsof different models in operation are shown below. These systems suit small schools and aregood for display purposes. They can be placed in or near individual classes to be managed bystudents (although teachers will need some level of upskilling in order to confidently supervisethe students).
Can O Worms: Worm A Round: Modular crate bin:
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Largescale worm farmsLarger worm farms have been developed to cater for businesses and schools. These typicallyuse a ‘flow through’ system (rather than layers), with aeration dividers and a raised floor underwhich the liquid produced by the worms is captured. These systems can be custom made andsupplied by companies specialising in worm farms or they can be constructed by your school.
To make a ‘doityourself’ worm farm, you can reuse and recycle a range of items and materialssuch as a bath, old recycling crates, polystyrene box packaging, wheelie bins and evenuntreated wood (in order to make your own wooden casing). Be wary of using tyres to makeworm farms, as there have been concerns over heavy metals and toxins leaching into thecompost from the breakdown of the rubber.
Photographs of different models in operation are shown below, along with instructions forconstructing a bath worm farm, a popular low cost option for many schools.
Examples of custommade worm farms used by schools.
Waste away worm farm Waste on wheels
Capacity of 2 square metres
Custom wooden options:
(This has a bath inside!)
Making your own bathtub worm farm:Remove the plug and place this end in a frame on at least a 5degree downward angle in order for the worm tea to drain. Add alid to provide protection. Create a filter layer at the base withwooden slats/chicken wire and cover with scoria. Add wormbedding over a mesh (shade cloth is suitable). You will need topurchase approximately 12kgs of worms from a supplier. Yoursupplier will also be able to advise you on the amount of wormsappropriate for the size/surface area of your bath.
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Where should we put our worm farm?The location of your school worm farm will depend on the type of system your school haschosen – whether it is small or large. Either way, you should:
» Select a cool, sheltered location out of direct sunlight, such as under the eaves, onthe Southside of a building or under some trees.
» Ensure your bin(s) are easily accessible to students for adding materials and forlearning opportunities.
» Keep small units directly in or near classrooms.» Keep largescale units in a central location, near gardens.
Maintaining and monitoring a systemHow do we make our system work?Once you’ve constructed your worm farm, you need to set it up. To begin:
» Make damp bedding by adding water to shredded paper, coconut fiber, or to thebedding supplied with your worm farm.
» Place bedding into the top layer of the bin.» Add a small amount of compost or soil.» Add your worms to the bin.» Add food scraps, which should be around 2cm in size.» Build up food scraps slowly and feed the worms only once a week to begin with
until they settle in to their new home.» Keep the worm farm cool and moist by keeping the lid closed.» Add a layer of carpet underlay or felt directly on top of the worms and food scraps
to help to retain moisture and stop pests.» Add water to your worm farm once every one to two weeks, as needed.» Aerate the worms’ food and bedding by turning it every one to two months.» Rotate the layers in a layered system. When the top layer is full, add the next layer
(on top with food scraps in it), for the worms to move into. This will allow you toremove the finished castings layer.
How do we know the worms are being fed correctly?» Feed worms small amounts frequently.» Check that the food scraps are disappearing (if
they are not, you may be overfeeding theworms).
» Spread food scraps over the surface of theworm farm, no thicker than 5075cm deep.
» Regularly rotate feeding sites in the worm farm.» If food is rotting, then remove it and feed the
worms less frequently.» If food is rapidly disappearing, feed the worms
more often.» You should see worm castings and worm tea
produced.» Worms should stay in the bin.
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Using worm castings and vermiliquid
How do we know when the product is ready to use?When the product is ready to use, worm castings will appear in your bins. Remember to waituntil the bin or layer is full before removing the castings. In a smallscale system you canremove the castings a layer at a time as they become full. For a largescale system, wait untilthe worm farm is full (which can take up to 6 months, depending on the size). Instructions forremoving worm castings are provide below.
Worm tea or vermiliquid may take some time to appear and you may need to add water to thebin if there is none. Worm tea can be removed via the tap at the base of your bin every fewweeks. Or, if there is no tap, remove the worm tea by emptying the bottom tray and rinsing thedrainage layer thoroughly to catch all the liquid (in largescale systems).
Removing vermicast from the worm farmThe worms in the worm farm will generally cluster around the food. However, there will alwaysbe some worms that remain in the finished vermicast when you go to remove it. If you haveplenty of worms in the working part of the worm farm, then removing some worms along with thevermicast is not a problem (even though these worms will probably not survive for long afterbeing removed). If you want to avoid losing worms, or you want to use some of the worms tostart another worm farm, it is possible to separate the worms out.
Vertical stacking smallscale systems like ‘Can O Worms’, should be placed in a sunny positionwhen removing vermicast. Remove the bottom tray filled with finished vermicast (not the layerwith the worm tea) and place it on top of the current feeding layer, leaving the lid off. Thefeeding layer underneath will ideally have a layer of carpet or thick paper on it. The light andwarmth from the sun will motivate the worms to head down into the layer below. Remove thetop centimetre of vermicast approximately every 15 minutes. If you see worms, wait and returnevery 15 minutes until they have eventually moved down. Or, you can collect some of theworms for relocating into another worm farm.
For horizontal feeding systems, such as bathtubs or largescale worm farms, shift the unfinishedmaterial/food scraps on the top of the feeding area to one side (most of the worms will movewith this). Harvest the vermicast that is now exposed and place it in little heaps on a tarpaulinin full sunlight. Wait 15 minutes to give the worms time to ‘escape’ downwards and then skimmore vermicast off the top until worms are exposed again. Repeat the process every 15minutes as often as needed. Be aware that the worms will need rescuing and returning to theworm farm quickly once most of the castings around them have been removed as the heat andsun will damage them.
How should we use the finished products?
The vermicast and vermiliquid productsproduced by worm farms have many usesas a natural fertiliser to enrich soil inschool gardens. The following sectionsexplain some of the applications anddilutions for these products.
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Using worm castings or vermicast
Vermicast has many uses. Worm castings can be used in solid form or can be diluted to makea liquid fertiliser.
» Spread a layer of worm castings about 1 centimetre deep onto the soil around yourfavourite plants, fruit trees and natives. Mulch and water, reapply as necessary.
» Use as fertiliser around the plant drip zone. Dig the castings into the soil and then addwater, approximately 25 litres per square metre of soil. Add a generous 5cm layer ofcompost or mulch on top.
» Castings can be added to potting mixes. 1part castings to 46 parts soil mix.
» Make a seedraising mixture by adding 3parts of aged compost or coir fibre to 1partworm castings.
» Dilute worm castings to make a liquid fertiliser for use in the garden or on pot plants.Add 1part castings to 3parts water and stir well, until dissolved, to form aconcentrate. This can be bottled and has similar properties to vermiliquid. It shouldbe further diluted 1part concentrate to 10parts water before it is used.
Using worm tea or vermiliquid
Vermiliquid or worm tea also has many uses. It needs to be diluted in different concentrations,depending on it’s being used for. Generally a litre of vermiliquid can make up to 20 litres offinished product. Diluting vermiliquid to the colour of ‘weak black tea’ is a good rule of thumb.Vermiliquid should be stored away from direct sunlight. It should be used when it is fresh,ideally within 6 weeks of production.
» Make a liquid fertiliser for the pot plants; mix 1part vermiliquid to 10parts water.Reapply every 24 weeks.
» Spray worm tea directly onto plant leaves to enhance growth and reduce pests. Mix1part vermiliquid to 20parts water for foliar feeding indoor plants, or 1part vermiliquid to 10parts water for spraying on vegetable plants in the garden. Reapplymonthly.
» Pour vermiliquid around the plant root zone in the garden fortnightly. Half a cup(once diluted) is an ideal amount to put around each plant. This equates to 2 litres persquare metre of vegetable garden.
Many schools choose to bottle and give away or sell worm tea to parents or the localcommunity. This can be a good fundraiser and a great way to promote your successful schoolworm farm system.
Your worm farm will also produce more worms over time. If your worms breed well and outgrowthe space available, remove some worms from your bin and give them away to others, so theycan start their own worm farms.
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Common problems and solutions
The most common concern schools have about worm farms is how to manage them over theschool holidays. For holiday breaks of 2 weeks, you will need to prepare your worm farm justbefore the break by feeding the worms generously (e.g. by adding a large pumpkin) and thencovering with wet cardboard. For holiday breaks of 6 weeks or more, you will need to feed theworms in this way once or twice during the break. The school caretaker, a teacher or a localparent could do this. If your school has smallscale worm farms, the families of school childrencould easily take these home to care for over the holiday period. The following table providessome solutions to common problems that occur with worm farms.
Problem Cause Solution
Rotting food
Too much for worms toeat; food pieces are
too big; wrong food isadded
Feed worms less; breakfood into smaller pieces;
remove bread, pastry etc.
Flies around farm orsmall white bugs and
worms appear infarm
Too acidicCover food with damp
paper; add lime toincrease pH
Ants Too dry or acidicPlace legs of farm in
containers of water; addwater or lime
Worms climbing upsides or worms very
fat and paleToo wet
Add paper products anddry leaves, then gently
fork holes in working layerNo worm tea Too dry Add water
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9. Using Bokashi at school
Bokashi what is it?This method uses beneficial microorganisms to fermentorganic matter anaerobically (in the absence of oxygen) in asealed container. This is followed by traditional composting orburying material directly into the soil to produce a solid and aliquid soil conditioner. This system was first developed inJapan. The word ‘bokashi’ is a Japanese word that means‘fermented organic matter’.
This system is typically made up of a drainage bucket with afermentation bucket nested inside. Both buckets are sealedfrom the air, the top bucket with a lid. ‘CompostZing’ (afermented wheatbran mixture containing effective microorganisms or EM) is then added to aid fermentation (orpickling) of the food.
What can go in a bokashi unit?All kitchen waste can go in a bokashi unit, including,cooked and uncooked fruit and vegetables, meat, fish andchicken, bread, eggs and cooked leftovers. A postershowing the types of materials that should go into abokashi unit can be found online atwww.createyourowneden.org.nz.
What shouldn’t go in a bokashi unit?Don’t put paper, plastic, seafood shells, bones or garden waste in the bokashi unit. Chicken andfish bones may go into the unit, but not bones from other meat such as beef, pork or lamb (asthese are harder, more dense and may take years to break down). Liquids including oils, milkand juice also cannot go into a bokashi unit. For further information visit www.bokashi.co.nz.
Choosing a bokashi unit
Is bokashi right for our school?See Section 6 of this guide for tips on choosing the right system for your school. You will needto consider your school’s size, policy, facilities and the desired student learning outcomes. Youwill need to conduct a school waste audit to determine the amount of food and garden wasteyour school produces. Visit www.createyourowneden.org.nz to download the waste auditactivity, which also links you to the national www.measuringchange.org.nz website.
The results of your waste audit will determine the size, type and number of bokashi units yourschool will require. A largescale system is recommended for schools producing 20 litres ormore of food scraps per day. If your school chooses a largescale system, it is likely you willrequire either two 120 litre drums or two 140 litre wheelie bins. If your school chooses a smallscale bokashi system it is estimated that two 15 litre bokashi units will cater for a class of 30students.
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Consider the following advantages and disadvantages of using a bokashi system:
» Small bokashi systems can be used indoors.
» It involves a relatively fast initial process.
» It takes cooked food waste, meat, dairy products and bread.
» It doesn’t take garden or paper waste.
» It requires the purchase of an EM activator (CompostZing).
» It requires a compost bin, or an area in the garden to trench the fermented materialinto the soil, in order to complete the process.
» Largescale school bokashi systems are not yet well established.
Where can we buy a bokashi unit and EM?Contact details for suppliers of bokashi systems and CompostZing(containing EM) can be found from you local council or yellow pagesdirectory, or by visiting www.bokashi.co.nz.
Follow the Internet links below for recipes on how to make your ownactivator containing EM. Be aware that these may be less effective thanthe patented CompostZing.
http://www.emshop.co.nz/fermentationproduction/howtomakebokashi
http://www.bokashi.co.nz/large/compostzingbag.jpg
Constructing and setting up a schoolbokashi unit
Where do we start?There are a number of ways to use bokashi systems at school. Currently only smallscalehousehold bokashi units can be purchased in stores. If your school chooses a largescalebokashi system, you will need to adapt materials to construct your own custom system. Yourlocal bokashi distributor or www.bokashi.co.nz should be able to supply further informationregarding construction and set up of largescale systems. This section outlines the differentsmall and largescale bokashi systems currently available that are suitable for school settings.
Smallscale bokashiTypically small bokashi units designed for household use a layer system.These systems suit small schools and can be placed in individualclassrooms to be managed by students (although teachers will needsome level of upskilling in order to confidently oversee these systems).
A traditional bokashi system uses two buckets that fit into each other toensure an anaerobic environment. Two buckets can be used in eachclass. Plastic paint pails or restaurant food storage bins can be reused tomake your own system and are suitable for classroom use. The twocontainers need to be stacked into each other, using the original lid tocreate an airtight seal on the top container. Ensure paint buckets arethoroughly cleaned out before use and drill holes in the base of the upperbucket for drainage. Suitable plastic pails can often be sourced for freefrom wwww.renewwasteexchange.org.nz
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As a guideline you will need two 15 litre bokashi buckets for every 12kgs of food wasteproduced by your school. Follow these steps to start your smallscale bokashi system:
» Food scraps should be added to buckets once a day and pushed down in the bucket,to limit the amount of oxygen in the system.
» Compostzing should be added daily; 12 tablespoons for small systems.
» Liquid should be drained from the lower bucket, removed and used daily.
» Each unit should be left to complete a fermentation period of 710 days in summermonths to 1014 days in winter months.
» Rotate bokashi buckets as they fill.
» Fermented material can be buried into the school garden soil or put into a trench duginto a designated area of land within the school grounds, which is at least 40cm deep.Alternatively it can be added to a traditional compost system as a ‘green’ material.
» Fermented matter breaks down in the soil within 36 weeks.
Largescale bokashiLargerscale bokashi units have been developed and trialed by a number of schools and foundto be a great way to deal with all the food waste they produce.
Largescale bokashi systems can be made in an adapted wheelie bin with a collection tray andtap at the base to collect the EM juice. Food scraps should be added to the bin and layered withCompostZing daily, following the same process as for a smallscale system. Ensure the bin isfitted with a rubber seal and bungy cord to ensure an airtight seal on the existing lid. Once full, itshould be left to ferment for about two weeks. The wheelie bin can then be moved to the sitewhere you choose to bury the bokashi material to fertilise the garden. These big bokashi binscan also be stored inside over night if required.
Another type of largescale bokashi system uses two large drums, 60120 litres in size.
» Cut off the base of the drum.
» Dig a hole and push the drum down into ground sothat half or two thirds of the drum is buried. Theremoved soil can be left piled around the drum.
» Fill the drum by layering with food scraps andCompostZing daily, as you would with a smallsystem.
» Push the food scraps down and replace theairtight lid each time materials are added.
» Once full leave the drum to ferment for 2 weeks.
» The caretaker can then remove the drum from theground and bury the fermented materials directlyin the garden at the site (by covering over with thesoil remaining from when the drum was dug in).
» In this system typically no bokashi liquid iscollected.
» Depending on the size of the school and the size of the drums being used, it can takeup to a term to fill one to two drums.
Use half a cup (125 grams) of CompostZing per 10 litres of food scraps added to a largescaleunit. This is approximately a handful per unit each day. It is estimated that one or two 5kg bagsof CompostZing would last a school term dependant on the scale of the bokashi system.
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Where should we keep our school bokashi unit?The location of your school bokashi unit will depend on the type of system your school haschosen – whether it is small or large. Either way you should:
» Keep it out of direct sunlight, but still in a warm place to allow the fermentationprocess to complete.
» Ensure your bin is accessible to students for adding materials.
» Keep small units directly in classrooms.
» Place largescale units in a central location in or near school gardens, where bokashican be trenched or added to another compost bin.
Maintaining and monitoring aBokashi system
How do we make our system work?Once you’ve set up your school bokashi system, ensurethat you:
» Avoid too much air space within the system.
» Maintain an airtight seal by using snug fittingbins, or a rubber seal and bungy cord for largersystems.
» Use the correct dosage of Compost–Zing.
» Regularly remove the liquid produced, if noteveryday, then at least after 23 days.
It is recommended that two bokashi bins be used together so that one is able to ferment whilethe other continues to be filled with food waste.
Using Bokashi
How do we know when the product is ready to use?Fermented food waste takes 714 days to ‘mature’, and then the bokashi must be buried in soilto continue the decomposition process (directly in the garden or in a compost bin).
What do we do with finished product?» The finished bokashi product can be buried directly into the soil. It needs to be buried
for one week before planting on it in order to reduce its acidity.
» If you have nowhere to bury the finished bokashi product, you can put it into thecompost bin as a green layer with a good brown waste topping and it will compostwith the ordinary garden waste.
» To compost on its own, particularly in a small space, mix the finished bokashi productwith an equal amount of soil and then place it directly on the soil. Cover with a plasticbox or tarpaulin to reduce moisture getting in. Allow the bokashi product todecompose for one month before planting.
» The liquid produced can be diluted 1:100 for general soil application or 1:500 as aspray to help deter pests (this is approximately 24 teaspoons in a 10 litre bucket).
» The concentrated liquid can also be used in drains to help remove accumulatedodours and bacteria.
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Common problemsThe most common concern schools have with bokashi systems is how to manage them over theschool holidays. Ensure small bokashi buckets are cleared of food before the holiday period.This may require that you stop adding food a week to two weeks prior to the holidays. Resumeadding food to the system when you return. Larger bokashi units using drums or wheelie binscan be left to ferment over a two week holiday period. You can leave them longer, as long theyremain airtight, after which they can be emptied and the contents can be dug into the gardenbefore the next school term begins. The following table provides solutions to common problems.
Problem Cause Solution
There is white mouldin my bokashi unit?Is there something
wrong?
Fungi cause white mould; it willnot disrupt the system.
This mould is OK and means that yoursystem is running well. It can be buried
in the garden along with the waste.
There is green mouldin my bokashi unit. Is
there somethingwrong?
The green mould indicates thatthe food scraps are going
putrid. This indicates there isair getting into the system.
Ensure the system is air tight andsquash down food to remove air
trapped within food scraps Also ensurefood is not left for long periods of time
before being added to the unit
My bokashi bucketsmells when I open
it. What should I do?
There will be a slight smell fromthe CompostZing all the time.If it smells stronger than that, it
means that you are openingthe bin too often.
The unit should only be opened once aday. Add some more CompostZing andleave it for a day to settle. If the problem
carries on you should dispose of thefood waste in the bucket, clean it out
and start again.
The bucket is nearlyfull and the foodlooks exactly thesame. Is this OK?
Yes, because the CompostZing ferments the food scrapsanaerobically. This preserves
the food and means that itkeeps its natural look. It’ssimilar to pickling onions.
The bokashi bucket does not compostthe food: this decomposition needs to
occur following the fermentationprocess, either in a compost bin or in
the ground.
There is liquidcoming out thebottom of the
bokashi unit. Whatdo I do with it?
The water content of the fruitsand vegetables produces the
liquid – this is part of theprocess.
The liquid needs to be emptied outevery two or three days. Try to emptyout the liquid everyday. You can dilutethe liquid 1:100 and use it as a liquid
plant fertiliser. Or use it as an effectivecleaner for toilets, showers and drains.
There is mouldgrowing on the
bokashi liquid. Is thisOK?
It is normal to get white spots ofa ‘skin’ on the bokashi liquid. Agrey or black coloured mould
accompanied by a smellindicates infrequent emptying.
Ensure the liquid is emptied out everytwo or three days and used as soon as
possible/
There is no liquidcollecting at thebottom of thebokashi unit.
The liquid comes from thenatural water content of thefruits and vegetables. If you
have a lot of bread going intothe system, then it will absorb
the water and no liquid willcome through.
This is not a problem and there is noneed to worry.
Can flies get into theunit and will there be
maggots?
The bokashi unit should be atotally sealed system.
Ensure the lid is properly resealed afterevery opening. Flies and other pests
can only enter if it is not sealed.The liquid at the
bottom of thebokashi unit is smelly
and has thingsgrowing on it.
If you leave liquid in the bottombucket for more than 3 days itwill start to smell and go off.
Make sure that you empty out the liquidevery day.
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10. Health and safety
What are the issues we should consider whencomposting?
This section provides an overview of what to consider in regards to health and safety whenworking with compost systems.
» Provide clear instructions for students (including identifying the toilet areas nearest tothe composting site).
» Ensure health and safety procedures are written down and displayed near to thecomposting site. Ensure procedures are well known by students, teachers and thecaretaker.
» Ensure that access to the composting site is clear of obstacles.
» Issue correct and appropriate personal protective equipment to students e.g. issuegloves to students who are handling food waste, bokashi, worm farms and compost.
» Teach students how to handle organic waste, how to open and close containers orbins, and how to safely handle the worms and other creatures found in compost.
As with any activity, there can be risks involved in composting and it is important to identifythese risks and to remove or minimise them. These risks can be managed and should not stopyou from undertaking a school composting project. Your school should conduct a hazardidentification process and include the measures you take into your school’s health and safetyprocedures, safety action plan or risk analysis and management system (RAMS). Somepotential hazards and preventative actions are included in the following table.
Potential composting hazards and preventative actions
Hazard Preventative ActionHandling compost, worm farmand bokashi piles
Always wear gloves when opening any containers and learnhow to open them correctly. Hands and tools should be washedbefore and after handling compost. Equipment such as gloves(and optional facemasks) should be worn while adding materialsto compost systems, turning compost or removing finishedcompost.
Turning compost, removingfinished compost and movingcompost bins
Ensure the task is suitable for the age, size and strength of thestudent. Involve the caretaker where necessary, as studentsmay require assistance to use equipment correctly and to reachthe compost with a stool.
Lifting heavy bins, bags orbuckets
Try to avoid lifting heavy items. Use more than one person ifnecessary and remember to bend from the knees.
Use of gardening equipment If students are using equipment, ensure they know how to use itcorrectly. If not, only an adult should use the equipment.
Odours from decomposingorganic waste
Seek advice on correct procedures in this guide to ensure thatcompost, worm farms and bokashi units don’t smell.
Sharp objects These could be left in food scraps by mistake. If found, theyshould be removed immediately. Always use gloves and becareful when handling food waste and compost.
Garden chemicals If compost is being made and used at school then it may not benecessary to use garden chemicals. If chemicals or compostadditives are used, they should be safely stored and disposed ofcorrectly. Contact your local council or refer to your local yellowpages directory for contact information on disposal facilities suchas the HazMobile collections.
Injury during a school wasteaudit
Provide clear instructions and guidelines both for studentsparticipating in the audit and for those observing the audit.
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Hot compost can burn Use a fork or other suitable tool for turning compost: never usehands. Ensure gloves are worn at all times and compost ishandled as little as possible. Caution should be exercised whenturning compost and it is generally recommended that thecaretaker conduct this activity.
Exposure to the elements whileworking outdoors
Ensure appropriate outdoor clothing, a hat, sunscreen etc. areworn by students and staff.
Pollen allergies and disease Care must be taken to avoid breathing in particles from the topof the compost or worm farms. Facemasks can be supplied tostudents if necessary. (There is a particular risk of LegionnairesDisease from working with compost.)
Food allergies from food scrapsand compostzing (for those withlactose intolerances)
Ensure students with food allergies are not elected as compostmonitors.
Sickness caused by handlingfood scraps
Clean storage bins regularly to ensure they are hygienic. Alwayswash hands well after handling the equipment. The regularcollection of food scraps should be undertaken to avoid mouldsgrowing.
Rats or pests Correctly managed compost systems will not attract rats or otherpests. Students and staff should be properly educated to ensureonly the correct food scraps are placed in the compostingsystem. If necessary, the caretaker should pestproof the binand/or ensure incorrect materials are removed.
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11. Successful school compostingThis section presents case studies of New Zealand schools with successful composting, wormfarming and bokashi systems. It highlights the ways in which schools can adapt these diversesystems to suit their particular needs.
Waiheke PrimaryAuckland City, 196 students, Year 08, decile 5.
Smallscale bokashi system
This new school (2005) formed an Earth Care Team of 10students who are involved in school ‘Enviro expos' and inmaintaining their school’s composting and recycling systems.
The school has three different systems running – Bokashi, aworm farm and traditional composting. The food waste producedat the school is dealt with by one of these three systems.
The Bokashi buckets were originally set up in the staff room tomanage food scraps. However, in 2008 two classes of Year 3and 4 students took the initiative to get all students involved andeducated to use this system. The school purchased threehousehold bokashi units and also had one donated. As part ofthe school’s ‘Sharing the Planet’ learning programme strand, thestudents offered demonstrations and sold bokashi buckets.
Students look after both the traditional compostingsystem and smallscale bokashi units. Students applythe compost product to the school’s raised bedvegetable gardens, where they grow their ownvegetables. This was set up during a garden andorganics teaching unit of inquiry in 2008.
This school has different classes focus on the‘environment’ as a topic throughout the year. Theteacher and students of the two classes undertakingthis specific unit of inquiry are responsible for theBokashi bins for the duration of this topic.There are two Bokashi units located within each of the classes that are responsible for them (aswell as one in the staff room). A reused ice cream container is placed on top of the Bokashi binfor children to put all their food scraps in. The allocated student monitors empty out thesecontainers at the end of each day into the bokashi bins. Once full the bins are then kept in thegarden in a hot sunny place to activate fermentation. They are then emptied and dug into thegarden by students at the appropriate times. Students also usually take turns to empty theBokashi juices and use this in the gardens they are cultivating.
This school Bokashi system serves primarily as aneducational tool for students; as the school alsooperates other composting systems to deal with foodwastes (traditional composting and worm farming).
The school has an EnviroCoordinator who is workingon strategies to incorporate the school TV station tofurther involve children in all aspects of theEnviroschools programme to which they belong. Thisincludes running competitions and challenges tomotivate students and bring a stronger awareness ofenvironmental issues to their community.
Teamwork and communication is vital to the success of the school Bokashi and othercomposting systems. “It is a wonderful way to demonstrate the important role we play inreturning nutrition back to the soil and to actively reduce waste to landfill”, says teacher Jacqui.Contact Jacqui Cloete [email protected]
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Willow Park SchoolNorth Shore City, 584 students, Year 06, decile 9.
Smallscale worm farm system
This primary school is currently using four worm farms and one bokashi unit. They set up theirsystems in 2008 when recycling and reducing waste was the unit of inquiry topic for the Year 1and 2 students. The school purchased small cratestyle worm farms for each class withassistance from the North Shore City Council WasteWise Fund, along with funding from theschool science and gifted & talented school budget. A local environment centre assisted in thesetup of the bins.
The worm farms have since been moved from the classrooms to the garden/compostarea. Twice a week, several children from the school’s Envirogroup (with occasional supervisionfrom the two Envirogroup teachers) collect the food scrap buckets from outside classrooms andfeed the worms. Every day the Year 6 staffroom monitors collect the staffroom bucket filled withground coffee beans and teabags to feed to the worms. A bokashi bucket is kept in oneteacher's classroom and used to collect the food waste from herclass.
The contents of the bokashi bucket are regularly dug into theschool vegetable garden. The students bottle the worm wee andsell it to parents and others in the community at the schoolChristmas gift market and by advertising in the school newsletter.
The junior students have been involved right from the start in theset up and maintenance of the worm farms. By completing theunit of inquiry about worm farming, they have gained wonderfulknowledge and a sense of responsibility and ownership. Theyhave learnt to be very careful about what they put into the foodscrap buckets, knowing that it is going to feed the worms. Theynow understand where the food scraps would end up if we didn'thave a composting system in place. Students see the compostingprocess in action at school and know that they are making adifference to the environment.
The whole process has been very handson for the children.They have been involved in everything, right down to designingand printing of labels for the worm wee bottles.
Contact Janet Nicolson [email protected]
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Winton KindergartenSouthland Public Early Childhood Centre,60 children (30 per session), preschool ages 35years, decile 5.
Smallscale worm farms
The Winton Kindergarten started worm farming in 2006 with the purchase of a small threelayercrate bin. The kindergarten committee funded the bin as it fit with the ethos of the kindergartenand because it was a practical way to involve young children in reducing waste.
The teachers soon found that they were producingmore food than the one worm farm could handle, sothey applied to the WasteNet Community GrantFund for assistance. The kindergarden was gifted a‘Can O Worms’ warm farm from the WasteNet Fundin 2008, to help further reduce their food waste.
Food leftovers from morning, lunch and afternoonbreaks are collected by the children and placed inbuckets. Pictures are used on the labels on thecollection buckets so the children know whichbucket to put the correct type of food into for theworms. When the bucket is full, the children emptythe contents into one of the two worm farms.
Each week the children are given a homeworkquestion about the worms such as "What kinds offood do Worms NOT like to eat?" Answers have sofar included orange peels and onionskins. And onestudent (and parent) has found out that the wormsreally like popcorn!
The kindergarten’s food scraps are recycled by theworms. The kindergarden also reuses empty juicebottles as well as plastic marmite and peanut butterplastic jars that have been washed out and droppedoff by parents. Teachers just have to request morebottles (to hold the worm juice) in their local paper andpeople drop them in.
The teachers feel the worm farms are a great way to teach the childrento be wastewise. The teachers love to see how the children enjoybeing involved with the worms and creating their own individual labelsfor the worm juice. To raise funds for the kindergarten, the childrencollect, bottle and sell the “Winton famous worm juice” through two localgardening outlets for $2 a jar.
The children look after the Winton Kindergarten gardens and use theworm juice made in their worm farms in order to nourish their growingtomatoes, radishes, carrots, cucumbers and sugar peas.
Winton Kindergarten is now also beginning to use a Bokashi bucketsystem for other foodscraps that cannot be eaten by worms.
Contact Head Teacher Judy Brown [email protected]
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Selwyn CollegeAuckland City, 925 students, Year 913, decile 4.
Largescale worm farm system and garden
Selwyn College was the first secondary school in Auckland tohave a worm farm. The school received funding from their localcommunity board to establish a school worm farm. SelwynCollege accepted the challenge of becoming a pioneer in schoolsustainability, as sustainability was already taught as a unit ofwork in the junior social studies programme. The worm farmwas easily incorporated into lessons and made into aninteractive learning activity.
It was not an easy task to get secondary school students to buyinto sustainability, but the staff and students at the school cametogether to make it work and are now proud of their efforts. Thesuccess of the Selwyn College worm farm cannot be narroweddown to the efforts of any particular individual but rather was aresult of schoolwide cooperation.
Students helped in building the worm farm from a kitset in August 2008 and then introduced thetiger worms. This ensured their buyin and gave them a sense of responsibility and ownershipfor the worm farm. The school chose a large 1 by 2 metrewooden worm farm with the capacity to take food scrapsproduced by much of the school.
The worm farm is managed through the voluntary efforts ofthe Environmental Council, made up of students from all thestudents in year levels 10 to 13, along with a teacherrepresentative. Currently seven waste collection containersare placed in key areas around the school. A teacheroversees each collection area. The students are put on aroster system or volunteer to empty the bins into the schoolworm farm on a daily basis.
There are different collection systems in place for each area within the school, located near thespecial education unit, the hospitality classes, the onsite crèche (for children of adult refugeeschool students) and the staffroom. To keep the worm farm functioning successfully is a schoolwide effort involving both students and school staff.
The worm castings and worm tea produced by the worm farmare used on the school vegetable and flower garden. TheSelwyn College adult refugee students created this gardenand work together to maintain it.
Selwyn College recently assisted the Eastern BaysCommunity Board to receive the “Best Practice with ChildrenAward’ from UNICEF, based on the merits of the SelwynCollege worm farm. This was a huge accomplishment for boththe community board and the school.
The school worm farm is about making everyoneresponsible for their surroundings not just in theclassroom, but in the community as well.
Contact
Social Sciences Teacher Brianne [email protected]
Or Principal Sheryll [email protected]
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Hira SchoolNelson, 80 students, Year 06, decile 10.
Rural traditional composting system
Hira School has two compost bins made of wooden slatsalong with a worm farm. They have operated these systemsfor around two years in order to cater for the organic wastetheir school produces. Some food scraps are collected fromthe children, but the school encourages them to take hometheir leftovers. This is so that families have a good idea ofwhat their children are and are not eating at school.
The school purchased the timber for constructing their compost bins with funding from W.W.F.when the school was successful in applying to set up raised vegetable gardens. The schoolcaretaker built the bins on the back boundary of the school in a shady location near the schoolvegetable gardens and near the school swimming pool. Because the caretaker checks the poolregularly, it is easy for him to take food scraps over to the composting bins at the same time.
As the composting bins are at some distance from the schoolbuildings, food scraps are often put in the school worm farm instead(which is located close to the school buildings). The school madethe decision to locate the compost bins away from the schoolbuildings in order to reduce any potential pest problem that mayarise.
This school composting system is not complex. The caretaker putsall the suitable organic waste from the school grounds into the bins.If the two bins are full, the material is piled up between them. Whencompost from one bin is ready, it is emptied out and put on theschool vegetable garden.
The school takes a relaxed approach to composting, (basicallyadding to them without a strict balanced diet of carbon and nitrogen
and they are satisfied with the resulting compost). Everyone in the school finds the compostbins relatively easy to maintain, with the caretaker happy to monitor the compost.
Every second year or so, the teachers do a class studyinvolving the school worm farm or compost bins. The schoolhas a philosophy of making ‘caring for our planet’ part of thestudents’ daily lives so that sustainable actions caneventually become second nature to them. Part of thisphilosophy involves surrounding the children with goodmodels of living well environmentally – which includescomposting.
Contact Jane Pearson [email protected]
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Waiau Pa Primary SchoolFranklin District, 316 students, Year 08, decile 9.
Rural largescale worm farm system, traditional composting and edible garden
Waiau Pa have two worm farms – one custom built wooden box and one bath. They also have acompost heap, a plastic compost bin and twelve 2 by 2 metre edible garden areas.
The original wooden worm bin has been usedat the school for over ten years. It was first setup with the help of a local worm breeder andwas recently relocated to its present locationnext to the gardens. A new worm farm using areused bathtub was donated to the school andset up in 2009.
Students are encouraged to put their foodscraps into designated worm bucketseveryday. These buckets are collected fromthe three lunch areas around the school in thejunior, middle and senior school syndicates,as well as from the teachers’ staff room.
They are collected by two worm bin monitors after lunch and deposited into the worm bin andbath. This system actively involves the students and they enjoy taking responsibility for theworms.
Senior school Middle school Juniors
The worm bins are currently looked after by the students and teacher of Room 2 (years 5 and6), while the edible garden is cared for by the school conservation group (made up of studentsand supervised by a teacher). In addition to this, the caretaker is actively involved in overseeingall school composting systems and gardening. The finished compost is used locally on theschool’s edible gardens. Worm castings are also collected and sold at Calf Club.
The Room 2 worm bin monitors recently gave a presentation to the school assembly andstudents are creating posters to make sure the whole school community knows what are thecorrect items to put into the food scrap bins.
School systems can be challenging at times,due to competing demands on teachers’ timeand young students misusing the system.Waiau Pa Primary is currently working towardsa successful composting system; they use a‘cold composting system’, but need morematerial for the compost heap and more time todevote to collecting the correct material.
Contact Nicole [email protected]
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Victory Primary SchoolNelson, 380 students, Year 06, decile 3
Largescale bokashi system
Two years ago Victory school had a problem with thelarge amount of fruit scraps, generated as a result oftheir involvement in the Fruit In Schools Programme,run by the District Health Board. This programmeprovides free fruit to students at school every day, toboost the children’s nutrition levels. A largescalebokashi system provided the answer to their fruit scrapproblem. This system takes care of citrus and other fruitscraps, as well as ham sandwiches and all kinds oflunchtime food scraps (that are not suitable for othersystems).
Nelson City Council donated two large 120litre drums to the school for use as largescaleBokashi containers. One drum is used at a time and is dug down into the ground in a suitablespot within the school garden. The soil removed to create a hole for the drum is piled around thebase and is used to cover the Bokashi mix once the hole is full and the drum is removed. Thispart of the garden is then planted after a couple of weeks. The drums are rotated around thesites in the garden on a regular basis.
The garden coordinator (rather than the schoolcaretaker) is responsible for the school Bokashisystem, as the local community gardens are located atVictory Primary School.
Selected senior students are on collection duty for theterm. They collect fruit scraps in buckets at the end ofthe school day and carry them over to the big bokashidrum in the community garden. They usually get aboutsix full buckets of scraps from a total of 18 collectionbuckets located in each classroom. The students tipthe buckets into the drum, pack the food scraps downand sprinkle in a handful of Bokashi CompostZing ontop, before making sure the lid is put back on tightly.
The school funds the ongoing cost of the CompostZing activator for their Bokashi system.
“Before we had the bokashi system, we were having a big problem, as there were just toomany fruit scraps and our compost bin was overflowing. Also the type of waste was not suitablefor composting some days we had just banana skins, other days too much orange peel. TheBokashi system makes it easy“, says teacher JudyAnne.
Contact teacher: JudyAnne Sumby
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Edmund Hillary SchoolPapakura District, 151 students, Year 08, decile 1
Largescale worm farm system and traditional compost bins
Edmund Hilary School has a large wooden worm farm,along with four 3 by 1.5 metre wooden compost bins todeal with their organic waste. The worm farm was donatedto the school in 2007 by the Papakura District Council andthe compost bins were made by school staff out of woodenpoles that had been donated by Telecom.
The largescale worm farms have been managed at thisschool for over two years now. Both staff and students areresponsible for looking after them.
Worm castingsare used in the
extensive school gardens and shared with families foruse on their own backyard gardens. This allows theschool to have organic gardens without the need forcommercial fertilisers or pesticides.
Since introducing the school worm farm, the schoolhas reduced waste and stopped using rubbish bins.The children now take home their lunch wrappers andleft over food. This school system is successful as itsaves school money on waste disposal. EdmundHilary School is working towards a zero wastetolerance and has engaged parental support for this.
Edmund Hilary School is involved in the ‘Fruit in Schools’ initiative, operated by the DistrictHealth Board. The fruit waste generated by the school goes into the worm farm on a daily basis.The school has also made an application to the Manukau District Health Board to upgrade theirworm farm to a bigger waste digester model, with more capacity.
The school also makes an organic comfrey fertiliser, using containers and drums donated bylocal businesses. The school is currently considering providing comfrey tanks for local backyardgardens now that families are growing their own comfrey. The school has also turned their oldschool swimming pool into a plant nursery.
Contact Principal Kataraina Nock [email protected]
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12. Extending your compost system
Sustainable gardeningMany schools choose to set up a garden along with their compost system, so they havesomewhere to use the compost and so they can demonstrate a ‘gardentoplatetogarden’closed loop. This means that schools can grow their own food; students can eat this food; andthen compost any food waste to return the nutrients to their garden again.
Some useful sustainable gardening resources for schools, available for purchase include:
Growing Gardeners Dee Pignéguy, Papawai Press 2008
This book explains the science of organic gardening so budding gardeners can createwonderful gardens to feed their families. It reviews the benefits of having a backyardvegetable garden and teaches the reader how to start one.
Creating organic gardens in schools
This resource outlines the process of setting up an organic garden. It offers practical gardeningtips and also offers student investigations that are linked to the NZ school curriculum. It isavailable from the Auckland Regional Council ph 09 3662000.
MulchingMany schools leave grass clippings directly on their fields and other lawn areas. This practice,often referred to as grasscycling, allows the grass to retain moisture and return vital nutrients tothe soil. It can also reduce the amount of times you need to mow these areas of lawn. Ideallyschool gardeners and caretakers should use a mulching lawn mower and only cut the top thirdof the grass each time. Schools can also hire chippers and mulching machines to turn old ordead trees and shrubs into mulch for use around planted areas of the school or in the schoolgarden.
Smart gardeningSmart gardening techniques benefit the environment and also save time and money. The aim isto minimise garden waste, reduce the need for chemicals, and conserve water and naturalresources. Here are some smart gardening tips you can use around the school grounds:
» Make and use compost in your garden.
» Plant natives and replace some areas of lawn with groundcover.
» Use mulches and droughttolerant plant species.
» Grasscycle by leaving lawn clippings on fields.
» Reuse rainwater and landscaping materials in the garden.
» Avoid using harmful pest and weed control sprays.
» Purchase sustainable gardening materials.
» Create special areas in the garden for learning and reflectionsuch as butterfly gardens, rain gardens and vegetablepatches.
The Create your own Eden Smart Gardening ‘how to’ guide is available online atwww.createyourowneden.org.nz
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Smart food choicesWhile composting our garden and food waste is great, there are also ways to avoid producingorganic waste in the first place. Here are some ideas for reducing food waste at school:
» Encourage parents and teachers to plan school lunches to reduce food waste via staffnotices and parent newsletters.
» Encourage the correct storage of food in reusable lunchboxes to avoid spoiling.
» Ensure food waste from school tuck shops, canteens and school lunch days is kept toa minimum.
» Food Technology and Hospitality classes that generate food waste should considerways to reduce their waste when preparing and working with food.
Further information on reducing food waste at home can be found atwww.lovefoodhatewaste.com
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13. Additional resources
Where can we find more information on composting?Further information and resources for teachers can be found online atwww.createyourowneden.org.nz
Create your own Eden school resources:Create your own Eden Teacher Resources:
» Curriculum integration information, including an inquiry approach to learning aboutcomposting.
» Composting information, facts, a glossary and learning activity ideas for teachers.
» A datacollection sheet for monitoring school composting systems.
» Links to useful websites and a list of relevant school journals and books.
Learning Activities:
» Waste audit
» Waste timeline
» Building a miniature compost bin
» Building a miniature worm farm
» Decomposer scavenger hunt
» ‘I have, who has’ game
» Growing with compost
Compost System Posters:
» What should go in the compost bin?
» What should go in the worm farm?
» What should go in the Bokashi unit?
Your local council or environment centre can also provide further resources, such as waste dataabout your local area, collection services available, field trip opportunities, locations of localcommunity gardens and links to composting demonstration sites. Some councils also provideassistance by funding school compost systems, setting up these systems and by offeringcomposting workshops for residents.
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