Impact/Purpose:

Composting, the taking of select organic material and converting it into usable soil, is one small part in transforming into a world of people who pay attention to the complete lifecycles of the products they consume. Carleton College does not compost the food waste from its two dining halls. Approximately 340,756 pounds of food waste are either flushed down the sewer or transported to the landfill each year at an annual cost of $25,025.00.

Description:

The Northfield, Minnesota area contains three institutions that produce a large amount of compostable food waste. St. Olaf College uses a large-scale on-site composting machine that effectively transforms the food waste to compost, but the system requires an immense start-up cost. Carleton College has signed a contract with the company responsible for the campus’s waste disposal to bring the food waste to a separate composting company. The final major source of food waste is the Northfield Public School District which does not currently treat food waste different from any other type of waste. Implementing Earth Tub composting units developed by Green Mountain Technologies is one possibility that could supplement the composting system at Carleton College and offer a composting alternative to the Northfield School District.

URLs/Downloads:

Final Progress Report

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT( ABSTRACT )

Start Date:05/31/2006

Completion Date:09/30/2008

Record ID: 200580

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Related Organizations:

Role :OWNER

Organization Name :CARLETON COLLEGE

Mailing Address :One North College Street

Citation :Northfield

State :MN

Zip Code :55057

Project Information:

Approach :

We will conduct a pilot program using one Green Mountain Technologies Earth Tub and pre-consumption food waste as a first step toward a comprehensive composting system. Monitoring the Earth Tub will investigate the environmental benefits of this composting system (waste-stream reduction, water conservation, energy conservation, and the production of usable, nutrient-rich compost). Also, the research will examine economic benefits (minimized sewer costs, minimized water costs, minimized fertilizer costs). Measurement methods include daily weighing of food waste and recording temperature, C:N ratios, and moisture in the Earth Tub to ensure quality compost and build institutional memory. We will measure monthly fuel usage and labor hours, in conjunction with water, electricity, and sewage bills, to determine the economic success of the project (cost-benefit analysis). This project will be integrated into the curriculum and larger Northfield community through student independent research projects with Professor Kanazawa and other professors in the Environmental Studies Department, while art students will decorate and publicize the composting program, and students interested in teaching will design lesson plans for local elementary schools. Articles explaining P3 concepts applied to the built environment will be posted in the school newspaper, local newspaper, and on the school sustainability website, promoting sustainability on campus and beyond, with an emphasis on applied, interdisciplinary solutions.

Cost :$10,000.00

Research Component :Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development

Approach :

We will conduct a pilot program using one Green Mountain Technologies Earth Tub and pre-consumption food waste as a first step toward a comprehensive composting system. Monitoring the Earth Tub will investigate the environmental benefits of this composting system (waste-stream reduction, water conservation, energy conservation, and the production of usable, nutrient-rich compost). Also, the research will examine economic benefits (minimized sewer costs, minimized water costs, minimized fertilizer costs). Measurement methods include daily weighing of food waste and recording temperature, C:N ratios, and moisture in the Earth Tub to ensure quality compost and build institutional memory. We will measure monthly fuel usage and labor hours, in conjunction with water, electricity, and sewage bills, to determine the economic success of the project (cost-benefit analysis). This project will be integrated into the curriculum and larger Northfield community through student independent research projects with Professor Kanazawa and other professors in the Environmental Studies Department, while art students will decorate and publicize the composting program, and students interested in teaching will design lesson plans for local elementary schools. Articles explaining P3 concepts applied to the built environment will be posted in the school newspaper, local newspaper, and on the school sustainability website, promoting sustainability on campus and beyond, with an emphasis on applied, interdisciplinary solutions.

Cost :$10,000.00

Research Component :P3 Challenge Area - Built Environment

Project IDs:

ID Code :SU833564

Project type :EPA Grant