ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Millions of uneaten school meals in the Albuquerque metro will soon nourish local soils instead of going to landfills.
The Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District is working with Albuquerque Public Schools on a pilot program to produce nutrient-rich compost from the leftovers of the 40,000-plus meals the APS Central Kitchen produces each day for students.
“Albuquerque Public Schools is very focused on healthy, fresh meals, which means they’re using a lot of fresh produce and fruits and vegetables and with that comes some inevitable loss of lettuce that doesn’t make it in time etc., or meals that go out to schools that aren’t consumed come back here. Sometimes, if the kids don’t eat them and they’re not able to be donated to somewhere else that can feed hungry people, that’s when it goes to us to feed the soils,” said Dawn Dewey, president and owner of Soilutions…