HISD Nutrition Services is piloting a composting program to help local agriculture by recycling food leftovers. Last fall, the department selected the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, Garden Oaks K-8 Montessori, and Briargrove Elementary to pilot the program, which will help HISD become even greener.

Dietitian Jennifer Lengyel manages the new initiative and is excited about Nutrition Services’ involvement in the program. “Compost soil has super nutrients,” said Lengyel. “Instead of food waste going to the landfill, now it will help grow more food.”

Nutrition Services has already educated, trained, and equipped the three pilot schools to help reduce waste. Leftovers are deposited in 90-gallon compostable bins and picked up on a weekly basis by local compost producers. “The idea came from our teachers and students, who were trying to generate compost for their garden,” Lengyel explained. “We were there to support them.”

The three pilot schools are now entering the second phase of the composting program, during which processes will be streamlined for greater efficiency. Nutrition Services’ goal is to gradually spread the program throughout the district.