The three “Rs” — reduce, reuse, recycle — are quickly catching on at Cascade Middle School.

Cascade’s students returned from winter break to learn their green efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling had saved the school $4,394 since September.

The Green Team, a group of volunteer students in Scott Weide’s environmental science class, kicked off the pilot program last May after the school’s kitchen manager, Janet-Nielsen-Homan, expressed a desire to reduce kitchen waste. The Green Team designed lunchroom recycling and waste stations, which allow students to sort their food scraps, waste (any non-food or non-recycling items) and recyclable items such as milk cartons into the appropriate containers during three lunches.

The Green Team also developed a classroom paper recycling program where paper is collected daily from designated bins.

Students have bought into the program thanks to the Green Team’s upbeat informational campaigns that simply communicate how to reduce waste and recycle, and the benefits. “Doing green is cool,” Weide said, “and our students think so, too.”

Cascade has reduced its frequency of garbage pick-up and simultaneously increased recycling pick-up to two days per week and food waste to three days per week.

The Green Team currently is focused on its next project: an ink cartridge and cell phone recycling drive. They also hope to recruit more members and start a video production team.

Weide and Principal Isaiah Johnson attribute the success of the program to the participation of the entire student body.

“If it’s not food scraps we are collecting, it’s milk cartons and paper,” Weide said. “Our goal this year is to save over $10,000 and brainstorm how we can better conserve water and energy in our building. There are no limits to what we as a school can do to help the environment.”

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