The Zero Waste Schools newsletter will help you get your school on a path toward generating zero waste through waste prevention, recycling, composting, and food recovery. You’ll also find resources that connect zero waste to healthy eating, school gardens, and environmental education and action.



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This year, Seven Generations Ahead is celebrating 25 years of local impact! The Zero Waste Schools Program has played a key role in our organization's efforts to build a sustainable world for current and future generations. Since the program's inception, over 70 schools have launched zero waste programs with support from the ZWS team, diverting on average 80-90% of lunchroom waste and equating to 561 tons of waste kept out of the landfill on an annual basis. We have reached over 40,000 students around the Chicago area and countless more have benefitted from our free resources.

Stay tuned as we share stories and successes throughout the year, looking at where we've been and what the future holds for Seven Generations Ahead.

State of Food Policy: An Inside Look at the Feed and Conserve Illinois Movement

Feb. 2, 11 am

Join SGA and partners for an inside look at the Feed and Conserve Movement in Illinois. Hear from the experts about why SB2852 needs your support NOW:

• The Policy: Hear from Senator Adriane Johnson on why Illinois needs food scrap diversion legislation
• The Evidence: Take a deep dive into three new studies:
• Bright Beat’s findings on food donation in Northern Cook County
• Dr. Howard Rosing’s and DePaul University’s evaluation of grocery store waste across Illinois
• NRDC’s report on the economic impact of food conservation
• The Mission: Learn how advocacy, education, and community involvement can help turn SB2852 into law this legislative session

To register for the webinar, click HERE.

Beyond Plastics online course

Judith will be teaching her highly acclaimed online Beyond Plastics class through Bennington College again in February. This virtual class is open to everyone, including all high school and college students who may choose to take it for academic credit. Together, you will delve into almost every aspect of plastic pollution and what we can do to address the problem.

The class meets by Zoom on seven consecutive Wednesday evenings from 7 - 9 pm cst from Feb. 18 - April 1. Cost is $100 to audit or $400 if you want college credit. Spaces fill up quickly! Learn more and register HERE. Email capa@bennington.edu for more information.

International Compost Awareness Week 2026 poster contest winner announced

The 2026 International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) poster contest winner is Endurance Oye of Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria! His entry was chosen from the hundreds of entries received from around the world and stood out for its depth, storytelling, and powerful connection to this year’s theme, Compost! Feed the Soil That Feeds Us.

Endurance’s work reflects how the earth transforms what we discard into nourishment and new life. Growing up close to the land, he observed firsthand how fallen leaves, food scraps, and organic matter return to the soil and fuel renewal. His winning poster visually tells this story through layered soil scenes that reveal decomposition, microbial activity, nutrient formation, and plants reaching toward the light—illustrating composting as a living, breathing cycle of resilience and transformation.

To read more about ICAW, click HERE.

The Green Schools Conference is next month!

The 16th annual Green Schools Conference (GSC) will be held February 17-19, 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Marina and Spa in San Diego, California. This is the only event to bring together all stakeholders involved in making green schools a reality: people who lead, operate, build, and teach in schools. Designed to educate, connect, and inspire, attendees will receive action-oriented training across disciplines and make lasting connections with peers and colleagues during targeted opportunities to exchange best practices and enhance green school initiatives nationwide.

The 2026 event will feature two days of inspiring sessions, expert-led workshops, and dynamic networking opportunities, followed by optional post-conference tours, which offer attendees a chance to explore sustainability in action at local schools and organizations across the San Diego area.

GSC is presented by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in partnership with the Green Schools National Network (GSNN).

Register HERE.

Holiday lights and tree recycling

Not sure what to do with your non-working holiday lights? This season Reduce Waste Chicago will be hosting its fifth-annual holiday lights collection featuring 10 more drop-off locations than last year. Drop-off points will be open from Dec. 6 - Jan. 31.

For a full list of locations and hours, click HERE. Please note that plastic bags or cardboard packaging will not be accepted.

Did you know that you can also mail in your nonworking holiday lights? HolidayLEDs offers year-round light recycling services. To find out more and for a full list of acceptable items, click HERE.

Once again, Mayor Brandon Johnson, DSS, & Chicago Park District are hosting Holiday Tree Recycling keeping organic material out of the waste stream, creating new resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Held January 3-17 at 27 locations citywide.

Make the case for sustainability staff 
in your school district in 2026!

The Zero Waste Schools team is here to help!

Please contact us at zerowaste@sevengenerationsahead.org if you need support 
with your existing waste reduction initiatives or if you'd like some help figuring 
out where to start.

Grants and other opportunities

Plastic Free Restaurants Plastic Free Restaurants is dedicated to eliminating single-use petroleum-based products in everyday foodware. Plastic products are not only harmful to the environment but also human health. Their subsidy program is available to schools, non-profits, restaurants, and other for-profit entities to purchase safe reusable foodware products. Apply for a subsidy HERE.

School Nutrition Association Equipment Grants Eligible SNA members have access to equipment grants from Alto-Shaam, AmTab, Cambro, FWE, Hobart, Innoseal, LTI Inc., Sterno Delivery, Vulcan, and Winston Foodservice. The total value of equipment grants being awarded is over $600,000. Applications open on Jan. 15.

Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub Spark and Innovation Collaborative Awards

These grants fund projects that need a short-term infusion of funds for school food system and marketplace improvements and projects that promote systems-level change of the school food system and marketplace across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Apply by Jan. 23.

The Earth Prize is an annual, global $100,000 environmental sustainability competition for students ages 13-19 that rewards the teams whose projects have the most potential to address environmental issues. This opportunity aims to inspire and empower the next generation of environmental leaders and innovators, creating a global platform for sharing and scaling their solutions. Apply by Jan. 31.

Salad Bars to Schools (SB2S): Expanding Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in 
School Meals 

The Salad Bars to Schools (SB2S) program is a national granting initiative that equips schools and districts with salad bar equipment and support. Awarded schools receive Cambro salad bars, camchillers, and ongoing technical assistance to strengthen their school meal programs. Open to K–12 school districts with an enrollment of at least 100 students per school site that participate in the National School Lunch Program. Applications open Feb. 2026.

IEPA Poster Contest The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency invites students to participate in their annual Poster, Poetry, Prose, and Video Contest. The theme of the 2026 competition is “Together for Healthier Air!”, inviting students to think creatively about how to reduce the amount of waste they produce. Apply by Feb. 2.

Slingshot Challenge 13-18 year-olds have the opportunity to submit a 1-minute video describing their idea for solving environmental issues for a chance to receive up to $10,000 USD. Apply by Feb. 6.

International Young Eco-Hero Awards recognizes young people ages 8 to 16 who are taking personal action to protect our planet. Winners receive a cash prize of up to $1,000 to fuel their projects, plus global recognition and a formal certificate. Apply by Feb. 28.

Educator Mini Grants Educators are eligible to apply for funding to support meaningful-learning experiences and action-focused projects that focus on student empowerment and activation centered around plastic pollution. Apply by March 1.

Events

Re-Wild: Ground Up Advocacy Bootcamp

Jan. 20, 4 - 7:30 pm cst, virtual

Join this training to learn about toxic chemicals, rewilding spaces, the intersection of human and environmental health, and how these issues tie back to racial and social justice. Upon completion, participants will have the opportunity to join our growing network and connect with experts, alumni, staff, and current students working on rewilding initiatives across the U.S. 



From Food to Flowers Everything Local Conference

Jan. 28 - 30, 2 - 4:30 pm, Bank of Springfield Center, Springfield, IL

This annual event brings together farmers, growers, market managers, and local food advocates from across the state to learn, network, and grow together. Illinois Farm Bureau is once again a proud sponsor, alongside our partners at the Illinois Specialty Growers Association and the Illinois Farmers Market Association, as we celebrate and support everything local—from food to flowers and beyond.

Seven Generations Ahead | Email | Website

This newsletter was created by Seven Generations Ahead.

Funding for Zero Waste Schools is provided by Food:Land:Opportunity, a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust and funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust.