Green Team

The Leonia Board of Education Green Team

The Leonia Green Team was formed out of a collaboration between local parents and school administration with the goal to eliminate Styrofoam trays from the school district. Through this collaboration, we began to investigate other ways we could create sustainable change for our students and their environment. To further this goal, the Green Team worked together to apply for a $10,000 Sustainable Jersey for School NJEA grant and $5,000 Carton Council grant. In January 2018, we were fortunate to be selected to receive both grants. We have used these funds to help educate our students about sustainability while increasing recycling efforts in all three of our schools. This web site documents many of the actions we have taken to promote a zero-waste community in Leonia.

As the Leonia School District bus fleet ages, new replacements will be required at a rate of approximately three buses per year over the next several years. The Leonia Board of Education has chosen to phase out diesel, joining the nearly 850 other school districts across the U.S. and Canada that operate Blue Bird propane school buses. While it is still a fossil fuel, the carbon content is significantly less than conventional gasoline or diesel fuel. For instance, propane produces up to 20% less nitrogen oxide, 60% less carbon monoxide, and notably 24% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than diesel. In addition, 90% of America’s propane is produced domestically with costs of operation that are 40 to 50% less than diesel. That makes it not only an environmental choice but an economically responsible one as well.

Vito Mazza, ACS parent of two and EcoVim sales representative, standing next to the new food waste processor.

Starting in 2020, instead of throwing our leftover and uneaten food in the trash every day, we are now turning it into fertilizer. In the ACS cafeteria kitchen, you can now see this big composter/dehydrator. It will accept up to 250 pounds of food waste and wet, soiled paper (like napkins) every day. When the ACS staff turns on the machine at the end of the day, it breaks up the food, heats it, and stirs it for 15 hours. In the morning, we get a bucket of clean water plus 25 pounds of biomass, which can be mixed into growing soil in a 1-to-9 ratio (one part biomass to nine parts soil).

The Green Purchasing Policy was adopted in November 2017 as part of the Leonia School District Sustainability Policy. The policy was most recently revised in May of 2023. This policy has served to support the school district in our effort to purchase products that are more environmentally-friendly and safer for our students and staff. As outlined in the Green Cleaning Equipment Action and the Green Cleaning Supplies, the school district has begun switching over to products that promote sustainability. These products eliminate harmful environmental toxins while saving energy and resources.

As products become old and outdated, these items need to be replaced. There are several school buses that have become old and are in need of decommissioning. In-line with our Green Purchasing Policy, the Leonia School District is planning on purchasing several propane-powered buses that will substantially eliminate harmful emissions. Click here to access our policy.

Community Asset Mapping

Community Asset Mapping is a means of cataloging all the resources in town that are available to its people. This purpose of this map is to provide local schools and community groups with a tool to easily locate information regarding a particular resource. By understanding what resources are available in our community, the Leonia School District Green Team hopes to foster collaboration on future efforts to promote a sustainable economy and environment as well as supporting social and cultural needs. Click here for a pdf version of our community map.

To Learn More Please visit: Zero Waste Leonia

http://zerowasteleonia.org/2019/05/14/leonia-schools-go-styrofoam-free/