The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans generated 39.7 million tons of food waste in 2015. Around 5% of that waste gets disposed naturally through the process of composting, the remaining 76% ends up in our landfills. Global food waste accounts for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions, almost the same as global road transport emissions!

A recent study done at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU) shows that the Lawrence Dining Hall produces on average about 4.5 tons of food waste per month during the semester months. Instead of this waste going into the landfill and contributing to WCU's greenhouse gas emissions, this food can and should be brought to a compost facility for it to decompose naturally and be turned into a useful fertilizer. The University has outlined four compost goals in our Climate Action Plan. These goals are to: initiate composting of food waste, place compost bins throughout campus and at catered events, investigate the feasibility of on and off-site composting, and create additionally composting sites for educational purposes. These goals were put forth in 2011 and we have not completed any of these goals.

In order to move forward with WCU's Climate Action Compost Goals, I have interviewed key stakeholders involved in previous composting efforts on our campus, and examined models from other PASSHE schools and similar universities that have established compost programs. Through this research I have composed a proposal for how WCU can achieve these goals.

I propose that WCU start with hauling food waste off-campus to a contracted facility or farm to start, but continue to work on how we can compost on-campus. To ensure this happens, a Compost Committee should be formed. Ideally, this committee would be composed of sustainability  leaders on campus, grounds/maintenance crew members, and our food service workers. The committee should be formed by Fall semester 2019. The committee should take the lead on tackling this major project; outlining farms, facilities, and outside haulers WCU can use to have off-campus composting. Within one year, the committee should find a proper site and hauler and implement off-campus composting for the Lawrence Dining Hall. Once this initial stage has been completed, the committee should then begin phase two of planning how the university can purchase land close to campus to host on-campus composting. The process of getting approved to be a compost facility can take a few years, so I propose that the committee make a five year plan to make this a reality. During this time, the committee should work on: finding the proper space, obtaining permits, deciding who/what department would oversee the compost site, ensuring that there could be a student learning component, and deciding on a hauling method.

In order for WCU to continue to take action on reducing its greenhouse emissions and follow the Climate Action Plan, we must start campus wide composting. By signing this petition students, faculty and staff members of the WCU community state that they:

1) care about reducing WCU's emissions

2) recognize the need for campus composting

3) urge the University President and other administrative officials to create a Compost Committee to focus on achieving all four compost goals put forth in our Climate Action Plan