Student led-community action plan created and presented during a 2018 Ambassador Leadership Summit at Harvard University.

1. Can something as simple as a
banana peel overcome the
devastating effects of pollution?

2. COMPOST COLLECTORS
AD
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E7sqlegYVGlRilZIMMuwW9bDi6uovgB1/view

4. What is compost?
● Compost is organic matter that
has been decomposed in a
process called composting.
● Composting is a process that
recycles various organic
material and produces a soil
conditioner.
Different Types:
● Hot composting
● Cold composting
● Vermicomposting

5. How much waste could be composted?
In Communities
● U.S. EPA says 24% of waste is organic material that could be
composted.
● Overall trash disposal rate is 4.6lbs per person per day.
● A total of 1.3lbs of food scraps is thrown away daily per
person.
In schools
● Over 78% of school waste could be diverted from trash to
organics composting and container/paper recycling collection
programs.
● Single most common material generated in schools is food waste.
There is a total of 23.9% of food waste that is generated.

6. What can be
composted
● Organic materials
- Such as: Vegetable
peels, fruit waste,
tea bags, egg
shells etc.
● These substances
are much more
quicker to
breakdown and
Provide important
NITROGEN.

7. CAN BE
COMPOSTED
● FOOD SCRAPS
CAN’T BE
COMPOSTED
● WATER BOTTLE
● NAPKINS
● PLASTIC
FORKS

8. How to compost:
● Collect your compost in
conveniently placed bins.
● At the end of the day take
collected scraps to outdoor
bin.
● Add earthworms (for
vermicomposting)
● Wait until all matter has been
decomposed and use it for
fertilizer
To make a compost bin:
● Drill holes up and down an old
garbage can. Make the holes
about three inches apart.
● Clean out the plastic shards
from drilling.
● Place twigs or dried leaves in
the bottom of the trash can
● Add damp soil
● Add kitchen scraps as you save
them

9. 15
Our goal:
SchoolsWith just 15 used trash cans
Any school could make the first steps towards
saving our planet.
Restaurants
Community
Farmers

10. What to do with compost
● Most common use of compost is in
Horticulture
○ Science and art of growing plants
● Includes many categories ranging from
plant conservation to landscape design:
● Mulch- Provides protection for bare soil
in gardens and landscapes
○ Reduces soil temp and moisture loss
○ Suppresses weed growth

11. What to do with compost
● Soil Amendment- Preparing the soil for planting
○ Compost is most beneficial when added before planting
begins
● Used in variety of mixtures for boosting plant
growth
● Compost tea- liquid fertilizer for plants
● Also used as planting media for constructed or
artificial wetlands
○ Encourages new growth and helps reduce erosion
● Nutrient contents of compost can help reduce
need for supplemental chemical fertilizers

12. Environmental
benefits
● When food is disposed in
the landfills it becomes
a significant source of
methane.
● Recycled food improves
the health of the soil
● Reduces the need for
water
● Increases drought
resistance,decreases the
amount of fertilizers
and pesticides needed to
grow crops

13. Community benefits
● Restaurants will be able to reduce the size of their
traditional waste bins and the disposal cost will
decrease.
● The community will be getting a higher quality of food.
● It will give the community a chance to come together as
one.

14. Health and sanitation benefits
● The goods will be safer to eat because they don't have
any chemicals in it.
● Waste bins attract rodents,insects, and generate odors.
But composts bins are completely sealed off and leak
proof.

15. Unhealthy Alternatives to Composting
● Manure
○ Contains many harmful bacteria, which can
contaminate water and make people sick.
■ Dirty water makes up 3.2% of human deaths
globally.
○ Releases methane.
● Pesticides
○ Contaminate water, soil, and and plant life for an
extended amount of time.
■ Causes damage to non-target plants, bugs, and
animals, including humans.
● Trash
○ Does not use food scraps productively.
○ Releases methane (anaerobic decomposition).

16. Why is Compost so Effective?
● Provides a lot of carbon and water.
○ Contains much more carbon than nitrogen so it is healthy.
■ 25-30:1.
● Contains beneficial microorganisms (ie. protozoa,
bacteria, molds, etc.)
○ Ward off plant diseases and break down organic material for plant
use.
● Firm and stable soil builder.
○ Retains water and other drainage, or acts as filter.
■ Very little to no runoff.
● Nutrient-rich
○ Keeps plants and soil healthy.
○ Growth
■ Hydrogen, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium.

17. United Nations Global Goals
The United Nations came up with seventeen
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), or the
Global Goals. These goals are focused on making
the world a better place by affecting people’s
lives, how humans affect the world, and helping
our planet become healthier. Many of these
rules are applicable to our project and affect
those categories.
Rule 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Rule 15: Life on Land

18. Non-Profit Partner:
Composting
Organization
Common Ground Compost is a
non-profit organization that
encourages composting in the
local community. The group
will provide a basis idea of
how to tackle composting in
the community.
This group is based in New York
City, New York. They offer help
and advice for starting
organizations similar to theirs or
even offer partnerships to the
organizations.
http://commongroundcompost.com/schools-
nonprofits/

19. Non-Profit Partner:
Farming
Organization
One Acre Fund provides
farmers with start up
financing, seeds and
fertilizer, agricultural
training, and market
facilitation to help
maximize profit.
The non-profit is headquartered
in Kenya and helps farm
families all throughout East
Africa. In 2017, they served
500,000 families in East
Africa. Their goal for 2020 is
one million. They plan on
reaching their goal through
donations and new partners. One
Acre Fund uses compost to
improve soil for present and
future growth.

20. Budget :
School Level:
● no cost
● students may volunteer and may receive credited service
hours
Restaurant & Community Level:
● no cost
● can partner with local schools
● can take to compost location themselves

21. Citations
“Agriculture & Farming Charities.” The Life You Can Save, www.thelifeyoucansave.org/causes/agriculture-and-farming-charities.
“#Envision2030: 17 Goals to Transform the World for Persons with Disabilities Enable.” United Nations, United Nations,
www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html.
“Why One Acre Fund Trains Farmers in Composting.” One Acre Fund, oneacrefund.org/blog/why-one-acre-fund-trains-farmers-
composting/.
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/school-waste-study
“Uses of Compost.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 July 2018, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_of_compost.
“Uses of Compost.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 July 2018, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_of_compost.
https://www.sundaygardener.net/peat-moss-benefits-and-disadvantages/
“Horticulture.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 July 2018, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horticulture.
https://www.groworganic.com/organic-gardening/articles/compost-tea-definitions