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^{In collaboration with a school class in the Länggass neighbourhood of Bern, the project team is initiating an innovative school compost project that combines education, climate protection and the circular economy. The aim is to develop a sustainable composting solution together with the school, children and parents - and thus make a scalable contribution to reducing waste and CO₂ emissions.The project creates a practical learning laboratory for sustainable development (ESD) at neighbourhood level, raises awareness of a more conscious approach to organic waste and strengthens the local community.}

^{REAL-WORLD CHALLENGE}

^{Switzerland produces around 6 million tonnes of municipal waste every year (FOEN, 2023). Half of this is incinerated in waste incineration plants, which causes significant CO2 emissions. Current analyses of waste composition (FOEN, 2022) show that biogenic waste, which would be suitable for material recycling, makes up the largest proportion by weight. In addition, 20% of this waste is avoidable food waste, and the city of Bern's existing biowaste management system offers a weekly green waste collection service for an additional fee, whereby garden and kitchen waste is processed into fertiliser and energy in industrial fermentation plants. Some family gardens in the city also have composting facilities, but on a smaller scale and on the outskirts of residential areas. Studies show that the willingness of residents to deliver compost is greatest when the door is open. Therefore, the existing composting facilities are only a solution for a small part of the population to recycle organic waste.}

^{OBJECTIVES, SOLUTION, EFFECTS}

^{In view of the potential for recycling organic waste, the project team is planning to set up a school compost in cooperation with a school class in the Länggass neighbourhood of Bern. The aim is to- create a learning laboratory at neighbourhood level for the dissemination of urban composting,- reduce waste and CO2 emissions,- stimulate behavioural change,- and test our multi-stakeholder process as a scalable solution approach.The project pilot combines four interlinked activity processes:}

^{1. Composting operation: The school compost, run by the school class (and volunteers from the households concerned), provides a learning environment and cyclically recurring collective activities to valorise organic waste.}

^{2. Education for sustainable development (ESD). Education for sustainable development (ESD): Composting is introduced to pupils and parents through child-friendly, application-orientated ESD activities. ESD units are supervised by teachers and local experts in the classroom and in extracurricular activities and impart application-oriented knowledge about biological cycles, soil health and food consumption.}

^{3. Community engagement: The project is embedded in a social network around the main actor, the school class. This community is not only strengthened through the joint composting operation, but also through celebrations and symbolic milestones.}

^{Stay tuned! contact: Boglarka Mittich Sociologist, BFH MSc Circular Innovation and Sustainabilityinfo@mittich.ch}

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