The Coral Bay Community Council (CBCC) hosted a residential composting seminar at the Oasis Event Center in Coral Bay, St. John, on Tuesday, March 15. Dave Minner, Ph.D., recently retired from Iowa State University and Gifft Hill School, presented a series of simple composting options to attendees.
Composting uses the natural process of decay to convert kitchen waste into nitrogen rich material that can be spread in gardens to “turbo-charge plant growth” according to Environmental Programs Associate Bob Reale at the CBCC.
Minner said that “as much as 60% of what we throw away can be composted and kept out of our landfills.” He showed how composting can be done in a way that does not create an unpleasant smell or attract pests. “It’s all about the FBI – Fungi, Bacteria and Invertebrates that break things down.” He went on to explain what made good compost and shared some DIY composting systems – several of which were given away to participants.
This is the first in what will be a series of ‘Tuesday Trash Talking’ seminars, workshops and meetings that will be hosted by the CBCC at the Oasis Event Center this spring. These events are part of a series of programs and events aimed at supporting and initiating recycling, reuse, repurposing and reducing programs to improve the management of solid waste in Coral Bay and St. John.
Future sessions will focus on recycling, household hazardous waste, clean-up days, and the net zero waste concept. The composting topic will be revisited on April 26 in conjunction with a ‘Backyard Grocery Gardening’ discussion.
These upcoming events and campaigns will help to show how the various “R-word” strategies (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose) can be employed by a coalition of individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations and government to improve solid waste management and disposal practices on St. John. The sessions are free and open to the public.
CBCC is working in cooperation with the Island Green Living Association and the VI Waste Management Authority as well as residents, business owners and other local organizations and government agencies as a part of this effort which was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Please contact Bob Reale via email: Bob@coralbaycommunitycouncil.org or by phone at 776-2099 for further details. In addition, CBCC is always looking for volunteers to help with the overall planning and execution of these events. CBCC encourages people to contact it at 776-2099 or to stop by the office (in Coral Bay across from the fire station) to discuss the project or volunteer to help with this or other council initiatives.
The Solid Waste Management initiatives are part of the ongoing Coral Bay Watershed Management project to protect the beautiful natural environment and people from the unintended consequences of development. The community council has committed to continuing to lead and act as the watershed coordinator working in cooperation with residents and the government.
Responsible solid waste management and disposal is an important component of this effort. Please also see the 5-year Coral Bay Watershed Management Plan and the companion Community Handbook at Home Page – Coral Bay Community Council.
For further information or press interviews, contact:
Bob Reale at bob@coralbaycommunitycouncil.org or Sharon Coldren at Sharonc@coralbaycommunitycouncil.org
More information about the Coral Bay Community Council can be found at: www.coralbaycommunitycouncil.org / 776-2099.
