Going Green: Earth Day contests and composting consultation

Image from Pace, “April Earth Month”
April 9, 2010
by Laura Rossi-Ortiz

Now that spring is here most of us are cleaning up our yards to remove fallen branches, dead leaves, weeds and the remains of garden plants.  One easy way to handle yard waste is to compost, which is nature’s way of recycling organic matter into nutrient-rich soil that can be used in your garden.  Composting is easier than bagging yard waste; it reduces the amount of waste the town must pick up; and your homegrown compost will improve your soil and plants.

Fallen leaves, grass clippings, weeds, and the remains of healthy garden plants can be composted.  To make compost, drop the waste into a compost bin or rake it to a corner of your yard designated as a compost pile.  Compost bins are available at hardware stores or garden centers.  Some bins are specially constructed to be turned on a regular schedule, as turning improves the quality of the compost.  You can also build a simple bin with small mesh wire fencing shaped into a square, circle or a rectangle. Keep it in a non-windy, unobtrusive area.

The rule of thumb for compost piles is that they work best with a mixture of “browns” and “greens.”  Browns, which provide the carbon source, can be leaves, straw, wood chips or sawdust. Greens, which provide the nitrogen source, can be grass clippings or plant matter. Alternate the layers of brown and green, and turn occasionally.  The more chopped or shredded the waste is, the quicker it will decompose and turn into compost.

Certain kitchen wastes, such as fruit and vegetable wastes and coffee grounds, can also provide nitrogen.  Adding eggshells to the compost pile can neutralize acids, which may form and cause an odor problem. Be sure your kitchen waste does not contain meat, fish, bones or fatty acids.  You do not want to attract animals or creepy critters. 

Left alone, it can take from six months to two years before the compost is ready to use.  But it will be well worth the wait; your gardens will thank you for the nutrient rich soil.

By composting you will reduce the amount of waste placed curbside and eventually sent to landfills or burned. 

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County can provide guidance, troubleshooting, and specific advice to speed the composting process, at (914) 285-4620.

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation also provides information about how to compost at home (http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8799.html).

Feeling lucky? 

With Earth Day less than two weeks away, here are two contests designed to raise awareness about going green. 

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is sponsoring an essay and video contest program called Shining Example. Contestants can submit a 90-second video or an essay of up to 250 words explaining why you switched from traditional light bulbs to compact fluorescents lights (CFLs).  Winners will receive home energy assessments, the chance to be in a commercial and free Energy Star bulb makeovers. There is no age restriction, and all submissions can be made at the NYSERDA website: http://www.shiningexampleny.com/.  Visit the website and check out the entries already submitted; it’s fun and inspiring.  Deadline is May 1, 2010.

Radio station 100.7 WHUD is conducting an “Earth Day Contest” for children ages 6-18.  Enter your child’s ideas on how to save the Earth by April 18 at the WHUD website, http://www.whud.com/promotions/suburban/index.php.  The winner will be interviewed by the station’s morning disc jockeys and will receive a gift certificate for four to the Westchester Broadway Dinner Theater and the chance to receive a $100 savings bond from Suburban Carting Company.

Laura Rossi-Ortiz is a member of the Town’s Sustainability Advisory Board.  To learn more about the New Castle’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint, click HERE.

For the Town of New Castle’s Guide to Recycling, click HERE.