Laura Johnston
Staff Writer
The environment has been the recent topic of conversation: distressing evidence of the effects of global warming have given environmental issues increased popularity. The environment has been a major consideration in our own school – an emphasized feature of Harriton’s transformation is the concern for the environment. The administration fulfilled its promise; the new building follows the trend of “going green.” One of the most exciting elements of all the new features is the introduction of compost piles. Composting is an eco-friendly way of dealing with biodegradable organic waste. This waste biodegrades into a rich soil product. It is a useful method for converting waste into needed materials. One can compost in a variety of fashions, like piles, lined holes in the ground, and bins. I interviewed science teacher Mr. Ferraro to get the details about the Harriton compost bins.
Q: Where are the compost bins located?
Mr. Ferraro: The compost bins are located outside, under the Green House. They are on the wall to the right of exit door 24, near room 121.
Q: How do compost piles work?
Mr. Ferraro: We have a three-bin system: the first bin is for brand new compost; second, turned once; third, ready to use.
Q: What is it used for?
Mr. Ferraro: The soil will be used for the planting beds around the Harriton campus.
Q: What are the bins used for?
Mr. Ferraro: The bins are used for the wastes from the greenhouse, like plants. [The bins] are not yet used for food. I would like to start composting kitchen scraps. Joe Mudd from Penn Valley Elementary School was the first to start composting kitchen scraps.
Q: When were the bins introduced?
Mr. Ferraro: We started composting about a month ago.
Q: Do you think this is an effective/positive environmental development?
Mr. Ferraro: Anytime you can reduce is fantastic. Reducing is the first step. There are no fossil fuels used, no outside energy wasted.
The new building is fulfilling its promises for a greener Harriton. What’s great about the composting plans is that it’s all local: we take the waste produced by Harriton, convert it into a useful product, and then use it in the Harriton environment. The only energy necessary to compost is manpower- no trucks etc. consuming fossil fuels. Possibly the best aspect of the composting plans is the room for growth; in the future Harriton plans to compost kitchen scraps, and hopefully later, compost the waste produced from left-over lunches in the cafeteria.