Second Compost Plan Designed
Overview | July 11 | Explored
After collaborating with Jennifer Trent to determine what the next step needed to look like, Makayla developed the next plan.
Food Waste is sorted in the cafeteria by students (Signage will be posted as guidance)
Custodians take out the food waste to the open-aeration pile to a closed bin on-site
Compost will be on-site for 4-6 months City picks up food waste 1-2x per week and takes to the city compost site
A student volunteer transports the bin that holds the compost pile to the city compost site.
Long-Term composting and maintenance occurs at the city compost site
Pros
This would help us be able to have an onsite location for ease that we wouldn't need a waiver or certification from the DNR because we would only be holding it for seven days max.
This also helps with continuation because we would not need to have a constant stream of 10+ volunteers every week, and the partnership will be set-up from there so it's just a matter of keeping the separation going within the cafeteria.
Creates a valuable relationship between city and school
Originally Rejected — July 12
July 12, Makayla received a response from the admin that was less than desirable. The administration shot down the possibility of working with the city because they felt that it was not a mutual relationship, that instead it would be a burden to the city. But, Makayla kept pursing the idea by replying the same day asking for permission to at least arrange a meeting with the city—she wanted to personally hear it from the city that this plan didn’t work for them rather than assuming their inability to help West Delaware.
Pushing for Consideration
July 27, Makayla received the same response, that did not address the request for a meeting to explore this possibility. One of the biggest challenges that Makayla faced during this process was the miscommunication—she found herself answering questions she already answered or feeling like she was not being understood.
Makayla wanted to keep moving forward in the project so she reached out the superintendent. On August 12, after reconsidering, the administration gave Makayla the green-light to arrange a meeting.