Hobby gardeners and seasoned composters alike will learn new skills, tips, and best practices for how to make compost, a Gardener’s “Black Gold” made from kitchen scraps and yard waste. This class will review how to troubleshoot common composting concerns, how to avoid pests and nuisances in the compost pile, and provide insights into the science of composting. This FREE class will be held at the Highland Public Library. Participants will learn why compost is helpful to the soil, as well as an overview of common compost usage and application rates in the garden.

Registrations opens at 3:00pm, Tuesday, April 16, 2024

TO SIGN UP: https://highlandlibrary.libcal.com/event/11975849

Accessibility: The parking lot in front of the building has accessible parking. From the parking lot to the sidewalk, there is a wheelchair accessible ramp. The front door opens automatically upon entry and the library is all one level. The event will take place in the conference room which is easily accessible from the library and includes a hearing loop for those with hearing aids. Unless you are sick, masks and social distancing are not required.

We strive to offer equal program opportunities. Educational resources in Spanish are available by request. If you require any special accommodations or have questions about this program, please contact Tanesia White, Recycling Educator, at TWHI@UCRRA.ORG or 845-336-3336.

We’re Celebrating Compost Awareness Week!

About ICAW: International Compost Awareness Week  is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry. It’s celebrated nationwide, internationally, and officially across New York Stare each year during the first full week of May. The goal of ICAW is for communities everywhere to raise public awareness about the many benefits of composting and how to make and use compost to regenerate soils. Visit the New York Compost Awareness Week page for more information about local programs, events, and initiatives.

2024 Theme: COMPOST… Nature’s Climate Champion! Each year, a new theme for ICAW is chosen. The 2024 theme was chosen collaboratively with the International Compost Alliance (ICA), which includes compost associations from around the world! The 2024 theme was chosen incorporating the collective focus on one of the initiatives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which is “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.”

The 2024 theme best reflects the UN goal by highlighting the role compost plays in fighting climate change. Those roles include:

• Decreasing methane: Methane, a greenhouse gas twenty-five times as powerful as carbon dioxide, can be significantly reduced through the recycling of organics instead of their being landfilled.
• Helping with climate change mitigation: Compost offers a significant answer to climate change mitigation. Compost’s return to the soil serves as a “carbon bank,” helping to store carbon thereby removing it from the atmosphere.
• Reducing fertilizer inputs, reducing the pollution created to manufacture those inputs.
• Increasing resilience: Compost helps to increase resilience to the effects of climate change such as drought and extreme weather.

This year’s winner of the ICAW 2024 Poster Contest  is Ny Rindra Arison Malalaniaina. Ny Rindra lives in Antananarivo, Madagascar and is a student in chemical and industrial process engineering.