NEW* It is estimated that over 530,000 tons of food is wasted in U.S. schools each year. Not only does this wasted food mostly end up in landfills, but all of the resources – water, energy, soil, nutrients, labor, and time – that  are needed to grow, transport, store, and package that food are also wasted. Hear how one local teacher, Cheri Richmond, alongside her students, are shaping educational programming and addressing their school’s food waste. Additionally, SEEDS staff will be on site to share findings from our recent Food Waste Audit work in regional K-12 schools and the potential future work in this area.

This event is part of the Michigan Organics Council’s Great Michigan Compost Tour. Food rescuers, animal feed operators, and composters across the state are hosting tours to highlight how surplus food, yard waste, and food scraps are rescued to feed hungry people or transformed into valuable animal feed or soil amendments. The other tours in our Northern Michigan region are featured in this event series.

Organizer Note: Most tours take place outdoors, so we advise participants to dress in weather-appropriate layers.