NYS Compost Awareness Week 2023
Sunday, May 7st - Saturday, May 13th, 2023
For Healthier Soil, Healthier Food…Compost!
NYS Compost Awareness Week occurs each year during the first full week of May. Join NYSAR3 and communities across the State for this annual celebration that promotes International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), an initiative by the Compost Research and Education Foundation (CREF) that strives to raise public awareness about the many benefits of composting and how to make and use compost to regenerate soils.
Local Educational Events
Explore the map below to find upcoming compost-related events near you. Click on an event of interest to view more information including the date, time, location, and more. Do you know of events 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:
Compost Bin Sales
- Capital District Backyard Composter & Rain Barrel Truckload Sale
Hosted by the Town of Bethlehem
Pre-order deadline: April 15, 2023
Pick-up date: Earth Day (April 22, 2023) between 9 AM – 1 PM
Location: Town of Bethlehem’s Spring Recycle Fest.
More info or to order: https://capitaldistrict.compostersale.com/ - Ulster County Backyard Composter & Rain Barrel Sale
Hosted by the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency
Pre-order deadline: May 19th, 2023
Pick-up date: Saturday May 20th between 9 AM – 1 PM
Location: UCRRA, 999 Flatbush Road Kingston NY 12401
More info or to order: https://ucrra.org/event/spring-compost-bin-sale-2023/
Food Scraps Drop-Off Sites & Collection Services
If you are unable to compost at home, check out the map below to see if there are food scraps drop-off programs or collection services near you.
If you are interested in helping your community to collect and compost more food scraps, consider becoming a "Soil Maker" or a "Soil Supporter" by checking out MakeSoil.
Home Composting Resources
Are you interested in learning how to compost at home or sharing educational composting resources with others? Explore the links below:
- NYS Department of Environmental Conservation:
"Easy Home Composting!" Poster - Cornell Waste Management Institute:
"Composting at Home" Guide - Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County:
"Quick-Start Guide to Compost" - US Environmental Protection Agency:
"Composting At Home" Web Page - Institute for Local Self-Reliance:
"Home Composting Basics"
Compost Videos & Music
- Kiss the Ground (Video):
"The Compost Story" - Nate & Hila (Music Video):
"Compost (feat. DiorNoel) - A Portrait of the NYC Composting Community" - DEC/Town of Bethlehem/FoodSraps360 (Facebook Video):
The Town of Bethlehem's Food Scraps Composting Facility - Department of Environmental Conservation (Facebook Video):
Troubleshooting Your Compost Pile with DEC's Gary Feinland - Rot N' Roll (Music Album):
"Rot'n'Roll"
NYS CAW Local Leaders
Are you interested in organizing a compost-related event for your community or helping to promote NYS Compost Awareness Week? 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. Our first meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. To join, email NYSAR3's Organics Council Chair, Jesse Kerns, at jekerns@syr.edu.
NYS Compost Awareness Week is a collaborative effort between the NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR3), the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions (CSCS).
