We Future Cycle just rolled out the comprehensive recycling program at the Mount Vernon Steam Academy, a 9-12 HighSchool with a population of 800 students, all future engineers, doctors and astronauts. As preparation for the student roll out, we presented the advantages to the adults including security, food service and custodial staff.

Because it takes a village to raise a child.

Meet Ivey Reid, the exceptional food service lead for the past 11 years. Ms Reid took to the program like a fish to water and decided on day one that she can go the extra mile in her kitchen in terms of waste diversion. Normally, the kitchen will sort out commingled and compostable materials, but this most fabulous lead also started to sort out clean clear soft plastic that would be recycled as plastic film at grocery stores, the resource needed for Trex decking materials.

And she made it look easy. A clear bag tied to the corner of a shelf, a quick explanation to her entire staff and off they went, and the result is a diversion rate of 97% in the kitchen, including a large bulging bag of clear cling plastic that otherwise would have been trashed and ultimately burnt into the air we breathe. Way to go!