| Simple Steps to Home Composting Demonstration |
| Tuesday, 04 May 2010 22:24 |
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Simple Steps to Home Composting - Preston Park, Brighton The Brighton & Hove Food Partnership recognises that there are large numbers of residents in our city who do not compost at home. Many people are not aware of the benefits of home composting, while others may be aware but believe they do not have the skills or time to compost. The Food Partnership would like to address both aspects by increasing awareness of the benefits of composting as well as teaching the simple steps to compost. We will do this by holding two public demonstration sessions, “Simple Steps to Home Composting” at a Demonstration Garden in Preston Park, a local residents’ park. These public drop-in sessions aim to inspire and educate the local community about home composting and the importance of using peat-free growing media. Therefore, everyone attending the sessions will be able to participate in hands-on activities as well as discuss with Food Partnership staff the benefits and practicalities of composting and using peat-free growing media. Participants will be able to make a mini-compost pile, go on a compostable-material treasure hunt, as well as speak to an experienced compost doctor. These activities are appropriate for all age-groups.The demonstrations will have both volunteers speaking with members of the community as well as printed material which will emphasise the benefits of home composting. Our message will include how composting is the most natural way to get rid of raw food and garden waste, how composting is great for the environment, reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and the amount of greenhouse gases being produced, how composting can improve soil quality and help grow flowers and vegetables, and that it can be an easy, feel good activity. Through our mini-compost pile activity we will emphasise how all you need to home compost is some outdoor space, fruit/vegetable peelings, cardboard, a compost bin or wormery. The compost treasure-hunt will allow participants to identify what materials they can and cannot compost at home. We will have leaflets which have information on both buying and making compost bins. These activities will demonstrate how you do not need a lot of time, money or expertise to compost at home. The Food Partnership wants to ensure that there is information for those new to composting as well those that have more experience. Therefore we will have a display, “Considered this for composting?” which promotes additional materials which is compostable but not often considered, such as tea bags and the contents from vacuum cleaners. As the demonstrations are being held on a demonstration garden we can emphasise the need for compost. One of the demonstration beds will be set up with bags of peat-free compost with written information on the benefits of using peat-free growing material as well as information on where to purchase it.
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