School
Yuverta vmbo Amsterdam-West
WSA section
Building and operations
Involved
Future Labs undergrad & sustainability ambassadors
Good Practice
At this school, the waste streams were mapped and we looked at which ones could be processed ourselves. This was previously disposed of as waste by a waste management company.
- For example, you can think of coffee grounds from the coffee machine. This is where oyster mushrooms are grown today, which are used as a meat substitute in cooking classes at VAP.
- It is also turned into worm compost and tea in the worm hotel. This compost feeds the soil of the school garden and activates soil life. This in turn leads to healthier and stronger plants in the vegetable garden.
- With the compost bins, we process the organic waste and mix it with the animal waste from our animal shelter. In doing so, we activate soil organisms that convert this "waste" into fertile compost. This is also a popular place for ring snakes to nest and deposit eggs in the warm compost.
The benefits of processing our waste streams in this way are: 1) students learn about the circular economy, 2) we can reuse locally, 3) cost savings by not having to transport and process it, 4) improving the vitality of the soil, 4) it absorbs water better during heavy rainfall and releases it more slowly during droughts, so we don't have to spray as much, and 5) it provides a good base of the food pyramid.
Stay tuned!
Processing green waste yourself at Yuverta vmbo Amsterdam-West is one of the good practices of the SustainaBul VO. Do you want to take sustainable steps at your school? Join the SustainaBul VO network via the website or contact project manager Eline Koopman. Stay updated on learning for sustainable development in secondary education? Sign up for the network VO for Tomorrow!
