Walsh Jesuit continues its efforts to be more environmentally responsible with its first trash audit last month. Students thoroughly sorted WJ’s trash after the school day in order to analyze improper waste management, separating the trash into several categories: paper, plastic, organic, etc. This project constituted a pivotal step in completing one of the tasks in the Ignatian Carbon Challenge that WJ undertaken this year.

The team of students was  comprised of AP Environmental seniors Dan Varnish, Marisa Bradley, Abby Krebs, Paul Backo, Jesse Liptak, and Conner Evans conducted Walsh Jesuit’s first trash audit.

Though the Commons looked like an exploded trash bag, Dan Varnish reminded that “this audit is a necessary piece in making our school more environmentally aware of improper waste management habits.”

After analyzing the data collected, the results were truly bewildering; WJ students disposed 26.6 lbs. of uneaten and unopened food while 113.9 lbs. of partially consumed food was not properly sorted for composting. Over the course of a year, this wasted food would amount to 8,406 meals carelessly squandered which could have been gifted to our friends on Labre. Furthermore, the recycling rate for plastic is a dismal 34%. Thus, 66% of our plastic is still ending up in a landfill where it never fully decomposes.

Junior Gavin Gronowski admits, “as a school we are lazy and do not care as much as we should. We all must do better in learning the impacts of our waste and how we can do better.” One simple solution to this problem is merely not to pack food that you know you will not eat, so tell your mom when you do not want that turkey sandwich, and if she still packs it, toss it in the Labre donation bin in front of Campus Ministry or into the compost. We can also put an end to single-use products in our lunch room. Switching to reusable lunch bags, tupperware, and water bottles (more environmentally-friendly options) can make a monumental difference.

Remember those Styrofoam plates? Well, they are a thing of the past. Thanks to WJ Green Team’s persistence, school-wide support, and a petition, Taste of Excellence has now made the switch to biodegradable plates, effectively eliminating 250-300 Styrofoam plates daily. This more environmentally friendly option is compostable, so make sure they are placed in the appropriate bin.

WJ can no longer think “out of sight out of mind.” The school community must come to terms about proper waste management as it is integral in protecting and sustaining the environment.