Efficiency / Composting and Recycling
All Shawnee Mission School District schools and the Center for Academic Achievement participate in recycling and cafeteria composting.
The cafeteria composting program began in 2008 and spread across the district as a grassroots effort initiated by students, teachers, administrators, parents and community partners. All elementary, middle and high schools and the Center for Academic Achievement participate in the program.
During 2017, Shawnee Mission diverted over 600,000 pounds of food and paper to compost, a portion of which was returned to schools as compost for school gardens and the CAA Broadmoor Urban Farm. The district has set a goal of diverting 70% of its waste from the landfill.
Recycling Do's
- Commingle. Recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum and tin in one container. No need to separate.
- Think before you toss. Can it be recycled? If so, please do.
- Empty and clean. Items soiled with food are not recyclable. Lightly rinse if possible.
- When in doubt, throw it out. If you are not certain if an item is recyclable or if it is soiled, toss it. We are striving to contribute products that have value to the commodities market.
You are Making a Difference. Environment Clubs, Green Teams and Student Councils across the district assist by emptying recycling containers in classrooms. They report a reduction in paper recycling since initiation of the 1-to-1 technology initiative.
Composting Do's (and Don'ts)
Do you want to do more?
- Learn more about local waste issues with Johnson County's Trashology 101 for students.
- Recycle Ricoh office printer cartridges. Use the existing packaging. Check inside for a shipping label. or scroll to the lower portion of the page to print a free shipping label.
- Recycle markers with ColorCycle.
- Not sure what to recycle where? Check out RecycleSpot.org for hard to recycle items, including single use and re-chargeable batteries.