Ishpeming 5th & 6th graders analyze school trash
ISHPEMING, Mich. (WLUC) - Partridge Creek Farm is continuing to educate Ishpeming 5th and 6th graders on how to keep the environment clean.
Partridge Creek Farm founder Dan Perkins said Friday was the second day the farm took the Ishpeming students out to do a survey on their school’s trash.
“It’s amazing to see these kids tear through the garbage.” Perkins said. “They put on plastic gloves and they are going to town like it’s a sand pile. They don’t care.”
Perkins said all the 5th graders went out Thursday and Friday afternoon was the 6th graders turn.
“Kids are trying to analyze what volume of compostable trash is going into the trash and that is disposed of at the landfill,” Perkins said. “This is the way we are going to indicate our program to divert that compost and bring it to our compost sight.”
He said this trash survey is part of his organization’s farm-to-school program. Perkins said a number of things can be learned from the trash.
“Observations on how much food is thrown away and that’s another analysis is why is food being thrown away and is it the right kind of food being fed to the kids,” Perkins said. “Is there something wrong there? This is a big unit of why food is being wasted and where it goes after it’s wasted.”
Partridge Creek Farm executive director and farm-to-school teacher May Tsupros said the goal is to get these students interested in sustainability early.
“We are working to build advocates in these kids so they can potentially start a composting program at school or start a recycling program at school and be environmental stewards,” Tsupros said.
Two Ishpeming 6th graders said they loved doing this trash survey for one major reason.
“This assignment is teaching us to help the world from polluting, and they will teach you how to plant stuff and garden,” Tsupros said. “I have enjoyed this assignment because it’s teaching us how it’s important to stop pollution.”
Students said the best way you can help the environment is by separating your trash from your recyclables.
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