The Zero Waste Lab: Advancing Soil Science Literacy and Composting Initiatives through Community Education

Acerca de la Comunidad

The Zero Waste Lab serves the community of Deerfield Beach, Florida. This project primarily engages youth  and their families, who are often of first-generation backgrounds. It is led by The Art Lab, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Deerfield Beach and supported by a Community Participation Grant from the City of Deerfield Beach. 

Deerfield Beach faces ongoing challenges related to waste management, including the recent cancellation of curbside recycling due to contamination. This highlights the importance of public education around waste management, composting, and soil health. 

A community-based solution that equips residents with accessible guidance and empowers them to adopt responsible waste behaviors. The community’s priority is to build soil literacy, particularly among the youth and their families, so residents can better understand, participate in, and advocate for sustainable waste solutions. By working with the Thriving Earth Exchange, the community hopes to develop a robust soil science curriculum with the help of a scientist advisor and to further local composting efforts.

Sobre el proyecto

The Zero Waste Lab will advance the community’s priority of  improving waste management and building local environmental awareness  by creating a science-based educational program focused on soil science, composting, and zero waste practices.  The project will deliver a soil science curriculum, a soil literacy kit designed to be used by youth, and a series of educational workshops and field sessions at civic spaces and a local community garden . This program will engage over 500 students, including a dedicated youth cohort of 25 high school students who will transition into intern roles, with a focus on empowering young people and their families to understand the science of soil, the importance of composting, and how human actions impact waste systems and the environment. This project also seeks to increase enrollment in the local composting pilot program.  We are seeking a soil scientist who will support the development of lesson content, ensure scientific accuracy, co-create the soil science literacy kit, and provide assistance in assessing student learning and ways to improve the program. By the end of the project, the community will benefit from increased awareness of local waste and composting systems and greater participation in DFB Compost, a USDA-funded organics and food waste recycling pilot program.. These results can then be shared with city commissioners and other local stakeholders.

Timeline and Milestones 

• Fall 2024-Spring 2025: Pre-planning between The Art Lab and the City of Deerfield Beach, FL
• May 23rd, 2025: Launch of Summer Zero Waste Lab educational programming which will end September 30th
• June 2025: Scope finalization and publication of project webpage on TEX website
• June/July 2025: Recruitment of scientist/expert
• June/July 2025: Interviewing expert and onboarding expert to project team
• August/September 2025: Receive scientist feedback on soil science curriculum
• October and November 2025: Assessment of Summer Zero Waste Lab Program
• December 2025: Delivery & Present Capstone/Results to the City
• Spring 2026: Post-assessment period. Ideation period to create a soil literacy kit which can be given to kids or schools.

Líderes comunitarios

Alexa Simeone is a National Geographic-certified educator, strategic designer, and founder of The Art Lab—an award-winning environmental organization rooted in art, powered by science, and dedicated to growing a greener planet and cleaner oceans. The Art Lab offers programs in zero waste, soil science, ocean literacy, and sustainable design, providing hands-on challenges that foster innovation, minimize waste, and drive systemic change. Their work empowers communities to transform local priorities into impactful environmental action. Alexa is committed to making science education more accessible, inclusive, and engaging through project-based art, design, and science discovery programs.

Beatricz Emmanuel leads strategic operations at The Art Lab, drawing on a strong background in software engineering, business strategy, and systems design. With extensive experience in project management and community engagement, she specializes in bridging technical innovation with social impact. Beatricz is passionate about regenerative practices and inclusive innovation, and brings deep expertise in permaculture, waste reduction systems, and cross-cultural collaboration.

Científico comunitario

Zachary Malone is a PhD Candidate at the University of California, Merced. He is interested in soil climate solutions and closing the nutrient loop. He is specifically studying the use of organic matter amendments, such as compost, on urban soils to improve soil health and carbon storage. He is also interested in the impacts of compost on urban soil emissions, such as greenhouse gases, and air pollutants such as ammonia and NOx. He also received his B.S. in Earth System Science from UC Merced where he worked as a Wilderness Education Ranger for Yosemite, influencing his interest in studying urban greenspaces.

Becario científico comunitario

Maria Salazar is a third-year PhD candidate in the Climate & Space Sciences Department at the University of Michigan. Currently, her research focuses on how large-scale and local climate impacts terrestrial vegetation and carbon uptake through photosynthesis in Earth System Models. She is passionate about understanding the science behind our natural world and about translating scientific insights into actionable policy. Maria is excited to combine science and community action to solve local problems as a Community Science Fellow! Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, reading, and tending to her aquariums.

The Zero Waste Lab, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Deerfield Beach, was awarded a Community Participation Grant from the City of Deerfield Beach, Florida.