Composting has become a normal part of the lunchroom routine at all schools in District 39. All food waste is able to be composted in our bins.  Composting creates less landfill waste which also reduces methane emissions. 

Waste Management, who collects our compost, is developing advanced facilities that create high-quality compost and soil products in order to have enriched soil with many nutrients. 

"3.8 million gallons of fuel is wasted by idling in the US every day. 

That is equal to 5 Olympic-size swimming pools filled with fuel and 40,000 tons of CO2." 

District 39 is committed to reducing idling at our schools. The bus company and bus drivers have been made aware of this green practice at all D39 schools. In addition, signs have been made for all drop off zones to promote clean air and to encourage drivers to turn off their cars while waiting. 

The district has committed to recycling and donating unused or old school materials. Through this commitment, we have partnered with SCARCE, an organization in Addison, IL that accepts a variety of items for reuse and recycling. New and gently used books and supplies can be donated by community members, schools, and organizations looking to reduce waste and give back to students everywhere. 

Every cafeteria is equipped with silverware, trays, and cups that are able to be reused. We are reducing our trash and plastic consumption by using these materials. Students know where to put their silverware, trays, and cups so they are able to be cleaned and used the next day. 

One of D39’s efforts in sustainability is collecting and recycling “clean paper”.

Each classroom has a blue recycle bin for paper, with no plastic bag needed. We work with a Paper Tiger, a company in  Gurnee, Illinois, that collects all our paper. 

Paper Tiger picks up all our paper, shreds it, and makes it into large bales that are then shipped to a paper mill. One truck saves 374 trees, 8,360 gallons of oil, 66 cubic yards of landfill space, 88,000 kilowatts of energy, and 154,000 gallons of water. The paper mill removes the ink, cleans the paper, presses it, and sprays it onto a conveyor belt. Heated metal rollers dry and roll the paper so it is ready to be used again.

In addition to paper, each school in District 39 is equipped with bins in order to recycle aluminum, plastic and glass. This recycling takes place within the cafeteria and is monitored by lunchroom workers, custodians, and parent volunteers. By recycling these materials, students and staff are drastically reducing the amount trash that is put into landfills each day.