NYS Compost Awareness Week 2021
New York State joins states, regions, and countries around the world that promote International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), the first full week of May devoted to educating the public on “the benefits of using compost to improve or maintain high quality soil, to grow healthy plants, reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides, improve water quality and protect the environment.”
Join us in celebrating NYS Compost Awareness Week 2021 as we highlight the 2021 ICAW theme of "Grow, Eat...COMPOST...Repeat"!
Do you know of composting-related opportunities happening in your region? Submit information to NYSAR3's Organics Council Chair, Jesse Kerns, at jekerns@syr.edu to be considered for inclusion in the listings below:
Composting Educational Opportunities
- April 20, 2021: Introduction to Backyard Composting (Virtual) - CCE Broome County
- April 28, 2021: Composting 101 (Virtual) - Ulster County
- April 28, 2021: "Compost Works" Food Scraps Drop-off Program Orientation - Grow Amsterdam NY
- May 5, 2021: Using Compost in the Garden (Virtual) - Ulster County
- May 6, 2021: An Introduction to Small Scale Food & Yard Waste Composting (Virtual) - Zero Waste Columbia
- May 22, 2021: The Earth and I: Compost Workshop - Branchport, New York
Compost Bin Sales
- April 30, 2021: Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale - Ulster County
- May 1, 2021: Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale - Town of Bethlehem
- May 4, 2021: Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale - Otsego County
- May 5, 2021: Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale - City of Troy
- May 8, 2021: Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale - Erie & Niagara County
- June 12, 2021: Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale - Orange County
Food Scraps Drop-Off & Residential Collection Services
If you are not able to compost at home, check out the map below to see if there are any food scraps drop-off programs or residential collection services near you. (Note: Some programs may be suspended due to COVID-19. Contact local program managers before attempting to drop off food scraps.)
Home Composting Resources
Are you interested in learning how to compost at home, or sharing educaitonal composting resources with others? Exlpore the links below:
- NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's "Easy Home Composting!" Poster
- Cornell Waste Management Institute's "Composting at Home" Guide
- Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County's "Quick-Start Guide to Compost"
- US Composting Council's "Residential Composting during COVID-19" Factsheet
- US Environmental Protection Agency's "Composting At Home" Web Page
- Institute for Local Self-Reliance's "Home Composting Basics"
- National Public Radio's "How To Compost At Home"
Videos & Music
- Kiss the Ground's "The Compost Story" Video
- Nate & Hila: "Compost (feat. DiorNoel) - A Portrait of the NYC Composting Community" Music Video
CAW Working Group & Outreach Toolkit
Are you interested in helping to promote NYS Compost Awareness Week or organizing a compost-related event for your community? If so, consider joining a network of NYS compost educators, community organizers, and local governments who are actively participating and supporting each other in this year's celebrations. By joinging, you will receive access to:
- CAW social media posts and imagery
- A CAW template for local government proclamations
- An editable CAW promotional flier
- Ideas for compost-related events and educational opportunities
- A listserv of more 80 CAW working group members
To join, email NYSAR3's Organics Council Chair, Jesse Kerns, at jekerns@syr.edu.
