Last year, a MyGug digester was installed at Skibbereen Community School (SCS), and we at AmuGreen and MyGug are delighted to continue supporting SCS in its mission to improve waste separation and correct recycling in the School. This initiative has resulted from a collaborative project involving the TY Sustainability, Sustainable Joinery, Home Economics, Green Schools Committee, Agricultural Science, and LCA Horticulture students.
Recently, MyGug creator and CTO, Kieran Coffey was welcomed back to SCS by students and staff. During his visit, Kieran explained the environmental benefits of anaerobic digestion and the nuts and bolts of how to operate MyGug.
When organic waste isn’t properly separated, it often ends up in landfill, where it breaks down and produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. By diverting this waste into MyGug, the methane is captured as biogas instead of escaping into the atmosphere.
By ‘feeding’ food waste to MyGug, the methane biogas released from the decomposing organic matter can be used to cook in the Home Economics classroom, also using less conventional natural gas, which is obtained by drilling into the earth.
A second product of the MyGug process is a rich organic liquid fertiliser which will be used by LCA Horticulture students in the school’s polytunnels. Ms. Ní Chárthaigh has been maintaining MyGug up until now. Daily feeding and maintenance tasks will now be carried out by students who have volunteered for the role!
The Green Schools Committee also plans to operate a school compost bin to work alongside MyGug, as some materials, such as orange skins, banana peels, coffee grounds and tea bags, are better suited to traditional composting. With MyGug, the basic premise is:
“If I can eat or drink it, MyGug can eat or drink it!”
