About 70 percent of seasonal produce enters the United States through Mexico with 6,000 tons of produce going to waste in Nogales.

The group Waste Not is stepping up to address the issue of waste with the help from Startup Unidos, Southwest Folklife Alliance and the University of Arizona’s Compost Cats.

“One of the goals of Waste Not is to fill in some of the gaps with knowledge and a variety of other areas to people in this region,” said Trevor Ledbetter, director of the UA Office of Sustainability. “They don’t see opportunity where there can be an opportunity so that is the kind of hoping at Waste Not.”

College and high school students in the program are encouraged to see if there are economic opportunities in Nogales and stay to help find solutions to some of the problems surrounding the community’s waste management systems.

To apply for the program, click here.

Priscilla Casper is an anchor and multi-skilled journalist for News 4 Tucson. She anchors weekdays at noon and 4 p.m.