HB2740

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that up to thirty-five per cent of food in public schools is wasted each day, costing the department of education millions of dollars each year. Food waste is the second-largest contributor to waste and accounts for twenty-five per cent of all materials sent to landfills. Production of food for our public schools uses significant resources, including freshwater, fertilizer, and agricultural land. In addition, this excessive use of food resources contributes significantly to climate change and the State's carbon emissions through methane gas emitted in landfills and carbon dioxide emitted during production and shipment of food to the State.

The legislature finds that safely sharing unused food with those who need it and implementing on-site campus composting programs are effective ways to divert significant amounts of food waste from landfills, save millions of dollars each year, provide a valuable and engaging learning experience for students, and produce tons of fresh carbon-sequestering compost for use by local farmers and communities.

The legislature finds that students involved with on-site campus composting programs can learn about the relationships between composting, food waste, nutrient cycling, soil health, and local food production, and be empowered with valuable tools to reduce their own carbon and waste footprints for themselves and those around them.

The legislature further finds that providing access to healthy plant-based foods in the State's public schools is an effective way to improve sustainability and student health. Raising livestock for meat, eggs, and milk generates more than fourteen per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution.

The legislature further finds that increasing healthy plant-based alternatives in school meals can significantly improve student health. With the federal government rolling back rules to improve the health of school meals, taking action locally is appropriate. Educating and engaging students about healthy plant-based foods can also provide students with valuable lessons about their own health, carbon footprints, and waste footprints.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish long-term targets in the sustainable schools initiative to address food waste and improve sustainable meals in Hawaii's public schools.

SECTION 2. Section 302A-1510, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§302A-1510[]] Sustainable schools initiative. (a) The department shall establish [~~a goal~~] the goals of [~~becoming~~]:

(1) Becoming net-zero with respect to energy use, producing as much renewable energy as the department consumes across all public school facilities, by January 1, 2035[.];

(2) Becoming net-zero with respect to food waste by safely sharing excess food with those who need it and utilizing all other food waste from public school facilities to create compost at public school campuses, by January 1, 2035;

(3) Offering plant-based alternatives for fifty per cent of all protein requirements in meals offered across all public schools annually, by January 1, 2035; and

(4) Meaningfully engaging students and incorporating the sustainable schools initiative elements into curriculum across all public schools.

(b) The department shall use the amount and value of energy consumed by the department across all public school facilities during the 2015-2016 fiscal year as the benchmark for measuring the department's progress toward the energy usage goal set forth in subsection (a).

(1) The overall progress toward the net-zero energy goal set forth in subsection (a);

(2) Its plans and recommendations to advance the net-zero energy goal set forth in subsection (a); and

(3) Any challenges or barriers encountered or anticipated by the department in meeting the net-zero energy goal set forth in subsection (a).

(d) The department shall expedite the cooling of all public school classrooms to a temperature acceptable for student learning. When implementing classroom cooling measures, the department, and any contractor hired to implement classroom cooling measures, shall maximize energy efficiency and installation and operating cost savings over the entire life of the project.

(e) Pursuant to this section, the department shall include in the report the status of the implementation of measures taken to cool public school classrooms as required by subsection (d). The report shall include the following information:

(1) The number of completed classrooms in which cooling measures were implemented and the number of classrooms remaining that require cooling;

(2) The different types of cooling measures implemented;

(3) The approximate cost per classroom for planned cooling measures, including installation, upgrades, equipment, maintenance, and projected operating costs over the life of the installed cooling measures;

(4) The approximate cost per completed classroom for cooling measures implemented, including installation, upgrades, equipment, maintenance, and projected operating costs over the life of the installed cooling measures;

(5) The number of completed classrooms in which energy efficiency measures were installed or implemented and the number of classrooms remaining that require energy efficiency measures; and

(6) The different types of energy efficiency measures installed or implemented.

(f) The department shall develop procedures, guidelines, and standards for each public school to safely share excess food with those who need it and create and facilitate their own on-site campus composting program for all other food waste. Each on-site campus composting program shall utilize all applicable food waste and other organic material from the school's cafeteria and other home-brought food waste to the maximum extent practicable. The department shall ensure that each public school is on track to becoming net-zero with respect to food waste.

(g) The report submitted pursuant to subsection (j) shall include information on:

(1) The overall progress toward the net-zero food waste goal set forth in subsection (a);

(2) The number of public schools sharing excess food with others who need it;

(3) The approximate amount of food shared and where it was delivered;

(4) The number of public schools that have implemented on-site campus composting programs involving students;

(5) Different composting methods, procedures, and strategies used at different public schools;

(6) The approximate cost per public school to implement a successful composting program;

(7) Data regarding waste reduction and any related cost savings at public schools that have implemented successful composting programs; and

(8) Plans and recommendations to advance the net-zero food waste goal set forth in subsection (a).

(h) The department shall develop and implement, as practicable, plant-based alternatives to satisfy fifty per cent of protein requirements in meals offered across all public schools annually. Plant-based alternatives shall be sourced from local producers to the maximum extent practicable. The department shall incorporate plant-based diet education, including positive environmental impacts, into its dietary health curriculum to the maximum extent practicable.

(i) The report submitted pursuant to subsection (j) shall include information on:

(1) The overall progress toward the goal of offering plant-based alternatives for fifty per cent of all protein requirements in meals set forth in subsection (a);

(2) The number of public schools offering plant-based alternatives satisfying fifty percent of protein requirements in meals offered annually, or the approximate percentage of protein requirements each school is satisfying;

(3) Different plant-based alternatives that have been offered at public schools;

(4) plans and recommendations to advance the goal of offering plant-based alternatives to satisfy fifty per cent of protein requirements in meals pursuant to subsection (a).

[~~(f)~~] (j) The department shall report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2740
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII