Environmental Science Investigations held their last waste audit of the school year, starting Feb. 26 and ending the week long process on March 2.

After multiple audits throughout the year, ESI has finally begun the process of planning the actual compost system that will be in place at MHS. This comes after a series of waste audits — data-collecting experiments the club used to find the average amount of compost MHS produces.

The club begun their first waste audit on Oct. 16 and started collecting material to make a compost pile in an attempt to monitor waste produced by students and teachers within school. After each week of collecting, the club weighed the amount of compost and totaled it with previously collected data. In the last week, the club has been able to retrieve more information about school waste as well as ways to improve school lunch.

“We found that last week was that both lunches produce about 45 pounds of food waste a week, which adds up to 1,600 pounds over a school year,” Clancy Livingston, club sponsor and teacher at MHS, said. “I stand by our methods, so this is the number we’re going to use to plan going forward.”

In order to get assistance from students outside of the club, they reached out through the daily announcements and by holding signs that told other students what to do with their compost.

“Our biggest hurdle this year has been the number of members,” Livingston said. “I’m incredibly proud of the students, both members and not, who have stepped up this year.”

ESI is always looking for more members, whether they’re just passionate about science or want to become more involved in school issues.

“Hopefully more people will join, which will allow us to take on bigger projects that make MHS better for everyone,” Livingston said.

The club’s next step is to begin interpreting data and constructing an effective composting system to implement at MHS.

They will also be hosting in partnership with Student Council an MHs “Reach Out Day.” The event includes a 17 minute walkout during advisory in honor of the 17 people that lost their lives in the Stoneman Douglas shooting that occurred on Feb.14 as well as a an opportunity for people to write letters to the victims and to state representatives about gun control 3 p.m to 6 p.m. in the West campus commons. StuCo also plans on having free pie to commemorate National Pie Day.

Those wishing to gain more information regarding the waste audits or the walkout should visit Livingston in his classroom, E-141 at West campus, for more details.