Fwd: City's Recycling through Composting Program Announces Free Workshops and Free Bins for Spring 2003

[AHC0913]

Hello Everyone-

FYI.

Angie Coghlan

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Attend a city sponsored Composting workshop and take home a free composting bin!!!!!

The City of Philadelphia Streets Department is pleased to invite residents to one of 
the following free composting workshops: 




·    Mount Airy          Wednesday, March 26, 7:00 p.m.
                         Lovett Memorial Library
                         6945 Germantown Avenue

·    West Philadelphia   Saturday, April 5, 2:00 p.m.
                         Haddington Branch Library
                         446 North 65th Street

·    Ogontz              Wednesday, April 9th, 6:00 p.m.
                         Ogontz Branch Library
                         6017 Ogontz Avenue

·    Oak Lane            Wednesday, April 30, 6:30 p.m.
                         Oak Lane Branch Library
                         6614 North 12th Street

·    Center City         Wednesday, May 7th, 7:00 p.m.
                         Central Library
                         1901 Vine Street
                         Montgomery Auditorium


Training programs are one to two hours in length.  After completing the
workshop, Philadelphia residents are urged to join the Recycling through
Composting Team.  To join, participants sign a pledge to compost yard
waste
and report on materials diverted from their household waste stream.  The
signed pledge form entitles the household to one home compost bin worth
approximately $80.  Residents interested in attending a compost-training
workshop must pre-register by calling (215) 686-5444.  Anyone is welcome
to
attend as a guest and receive training and a manual, but only
pre-registered Philadelphia residents presenting appropriate
identification
will be eligible to receive a back yard composter.  If demand exceeds
supply, priority will be given to the earliest registrants.

"We thank the enthusiastic members of the Recycling through Composting
Team
whose commitment to this environmentally sound program has helped to
make
it a growing success.  We hope to welcome another 500 households into
the
program this year," says David B. Robinson, City of Philadelphia
Recycling
Coordinator.  "Why throw away leaves and clippings, when you can turn
them
into a valuable resource?" Holmesburg Librarian Catherine Huntzberry,
who
composts in her garden, says, "I consider it black gold."

     Philadelphia's gardeners have endured a cold, snowy winter, and are
eager to start working in their yards and community gardens.  As they
begin
to clear dead growth and pull weeds, they can build compost piles to
save
landfill space while improving the soil in their own gardens.  According
to
reports from team members, each household that joins the Recycling
through
Composting Team diverts an average of 500 pounds of yard waste per year
from the waste stream.  The City's Recycling through Composting Program
provides Philadelphia residents with free training about urban
composting,
including an introduction to worm farming for those who don't have
outdoor
space.  Thanks to the support of the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, the City can make backyard compost bins
available
to participants at no charge.

     The City of Philadelphia Streets Department is pleased to be
partnering with neighborhood facilities of the Free Library of
Philadelphia
in extending the Recycling through Composting Program to the public.

     Individuals, community gardens and environmentally-concerned
organizations interested in learning more about this program should call
(215) 686-5444.  A recording is available on that line 24 hours a day.
Program information can also be obtained by visiting the Streets
Department's web site at www.phila.gov/streets or by watching the City's
Government Access Cable Channel 64.

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