Skip to main content

King County Green Schools program success story: Carriage Crest Elementary School

Success story: Carriage Crest Elementary School

School District: Kent
School Location: Renton
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: November 2011

Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in January 2013

Waste reduction and recycling (level one)

  • Carriage Crest increased its recycling rate from 38 percent to 54 percent after informing students and staff about what materials can be recycled and having student leaders monitor cafeteria recycling stations where milk cartons, plastic bottles and aluminum cans are collected to be recycled.
  • The recycling practices at Carriage Crest are part of the school’s culture and supported by principal Susanne Lange-Wick, head custodian Dennis Reed, and head administrative assistant Jodi Goranson, as well as teachers and students.
  • The principal placed notices about recycling in school newsletters.
  • The school had King County’s assembly about waste reduction and recycling presented to all students in September 2012.
  • Recycling containers and signs in each classroom and office also help students and staff to recycle.
  • To reduce waste, the district eliminated straws and replaced the plastic wrapped sets of utensils, napkins and straws with individual sporks and napkins that students can obtain from dispensers. Designed to protect health, the dispensers release sporks and napkins one at a time so that each utensil and napkin is handled by only one child.

For more information about the school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:

Susanne Lange-Wick, principal
Susanne.lange-wick@kent.k12.wa.us
Beth Gilbertson, environmental services supervisor, Kent School District
Beth.Gilbertson@kent.k12.wa.us
King County Solid Waste Division mission: Waste Prevention, Resource Recovery, Waste Disposal

Contact Us

 Call: 206-477-4466

TTY Relay: 711

expand_less