Pascrell Announces $50,000 EPA Grant for Paterson Schools

Environmental education award will be used to help Paterson students reduce food waste

PATERSON, NJ – Today, Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $50,000 to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, to finance food waste reduction education projects in Paterson schools.

“This award is great gift for young Patersonians to learn the importance of avoiding food waste. It will help cafeterias and classrooms in Paterson provide new, hands-on opportunities for students to connect their daily habits with practices that are good for themselves, their families, and the environment,” said Rep. Pascrell. “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of those at Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Passaic County, Paterson students will get the chance to learn about planting and maintaining gardens set up in their schools, as well as about the composting process. This information is valuable not only in teaching young people the importance of avoiding food waste, but in imparting new experiences in an urban environment where planting and composting are less common.”

“Paterson is very excited to be part of the EPA Environmental Education Grant recently awarded to Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Passaic County,” said Paterson Superintendent Eileen Shafer. “Through our partnership with Rutgers we will be working on educating our students about where food comes from, how to choose foods in way to minimize waste and maximize the nutritional benefit while focusing on disposing foods in an environmentally conscious way.”

Background

Since 1992, the EPA has distributed between $2 million and $3.5 million in EE grant funding per year, for a total of over $75 million supporting more than 3,700 grant projects. The program traditionally provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate or disseminate environmental education practices, methods or techniques.

More information on the Environmental Education Grant program is available here.

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