PARSIPPANY — Every school day at Morris County School of Technology (MCST) in Denville, students walk through the cafeteria, grab their lunches…and often leave half of it behind. Most people never give it a second thought. Chithuli Perera does.
As a junior pursuing her Girl Scout Gold Award — the highest achievement in Girl Scouts — Perera has spent her entire junior year designing and executing a comprehensive food waste awareness campaign at her school. “Food waste is something we see every day, especially in the cafeteria, but most people don’t really think about it,” she said. “I wanted to raise awareness and show how small choices can truly make a big difference.”
A Problem Bigger Than the Cafeteria
The scale of the food waste problem is staggering. Food waste contributes to 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and methane released from decomposing food is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In the United States alone, the amount of wasted food is equivalent to the annual emissions of 36.2 million cars. Globally, the food that goes uneaten could feed two billion people — more than twice the number who go hungry today.
Perera began researching these statistics in her freshman year of high school and never let go of the issue. “Back in 9th grade, I wrote a hypothetical letter to the Board of Education about food waste in schools,” she explained. “That helped spark my interest.” When she began planning her Gold Award project, the answer felt clear: bring this conversation to MCST.
Building the Campaign from the Ground Up
Perera’s initial vision was even more ambitious: she wanted to establish a full composting program at MCST, complete with bins, student training, and a partnership with an off-site pickup service. She spent months researching composting organizations across New Jersey, personally interviewing executives and founders at companies including Source Compost, Torus Composting, Community Compost Co., and UNWASTE. She also consulted with the NJ Composting Council and ANJEC.
When the composting proposal faced logistical hurdles, she didn’t give up; rather, she pivoted. Working with the school principal, Mr. Menadier, Perera redesigned her project into a multi-layered food waste awareness campaign, earning approval from the school administration to move forward.
A Campaign Built to Last
The campaign Perera ultimately built is one of the most thorough student-led environmental initiatives MCST has seen. Its components include:
Food Waste Fact Fridays: Weekly announcements delivered over the school PA system, each sharing a compelling statistic, such as the fact that throwing away a single burger wastes 660 gallons of water.
Student Pledge Campaign: An online pledge form asking students to commit to reducing their food waste. To date, 68 students from MCST specifically have taken the pledge.
Posters and Displays: Laminated posters placed throughout the school, including near cafeteria trash cans, with QR codes linking to the pledge and campaign website.
MCST News Segment: A brief video segment recorded for the school’s news program, reaching the student body with information on why food waste matters and what students can do.
Before-and-After Surveys: Pre- and post-campaign questionnaires designed to measure actual shifts in student knowledge and attitudes around food waste.
Campaign Website: A dedicated website featuring information, resources, and the pledge tracker.
She also wrote an article for MCST’s Newsletter (the Devil’s Advocate), staffed a booth at the Environmental Action Club’s (EAC’s) annual Earthfest, and gave a presentation to students at Central Middle School, spreading the message beyond the walls of MCST.
Designed to Outlast Its Creator
One of the key requirements of the Girl Scout Gold Award is sustainability, meaning the project must continue making an impact after the student graduates. Perera built thatinto her campaign from the start. She hopes EAC, which she is a co-president of at MCST, will take over running the campaign each year. All content — videos, pledge forms, posters, and announcement scripts — is designed to be reused annually, ensuring the message lives on long after Perera graduates.
“This project means a lot to me because it’s something our school can actually keep going after I graduate,” Perera said. “I’m excited to make a real difference at MCST.”
How You Can Help
Students at MCST can scan the QR codes displayed on posters throughout the school to learn more and take the food waste pledge.
For community members interested in food waste reduction in Parsippany and the surrounding areas, local composting initiatives are expanding. Additionally, community members can visit her website and spread awareness with conversations like the one Chithuli Perera is leading.
Chithuli Perera is a junior at Morris County School of Technology in Denville, and a member of Girl Scouts of the USA.
