Composting in the Time of COVID-19: Part 5

What's it about?

Record numbers of your customers are creating Victory Gardens.  This is a perfect time to engage, and the USCC is here to help you! Whether you are a marketer, or the thought of social media makes your head hurt, you will leave this webinar feeling like a champ, armed with the tools and steps you need to create engaging social media posts. Let’s work together, create a movement, and make this go viral! #VforVictory 

The webinar is open to non members, but the toolkit is only accessible to USCC members. If you want to JOIN US you can take advantage of our spring special by clicking here! We'd love to have you join the movement!

Panelists:

• Suzanne Longacre, Laurel Valley Soils

• Linda Norris-Waldt, US Composting Council

• Hilary Nichols, US Composting Council

Recordings and slides from Parts 1-4 are available here.

Resources for organics management in the time of COVID-19 are here.

Composting in the Time of COVID-19: Part 4

Gardening is an empowering act. While everyone is sheltering in place, how can we reach out to customers in new ways? How can we assure our customers that we're using safe practices to sell compost? Topics will include marketing the re-emergence of the Victory Garden, transportation issues, marketing how you are keeping your customers safe, and YOUR questions. A panel of compost manufacturers from around the country will discuss how they are managing during the emergency.

Panelists:

• Emma Yates, WeCare Denali

• Clinton Sander, A1 Organics

• Shota Austin, Tank’s Green Stuff

Recordings and slides from Parts 1-3 are available here.

Resources for organics management in the time of COVID-19 are here.

Composting In The Time of COVID-19: Part 3

Join this webinar to hear from a panel of for-profit, nonprofit, and government food scrap collectors.In this discussion moderated by Brenda Platt of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, they will share their experience in adapting drop-off and curbside collection programs in response to COVID-19. The discussion will cover new safety protocols, defending the right to collect food scraps for composting, services paused, and new services offered (such as home composting kits and food delivery for local businesses).  

Panelists:

• Daryl Braithwaite, Public Works Director for the City of Takoma Park, Maryland

• Dan Matsch, Eco-Cycle, Bouder, Colorado

• Eileen Banyra, founder, Community Compost Co., New Paltz, New York

• Ceci Pineda, Executive Director, BK ROT, Brooklyn, New York

• Jeremy Brosowsky, Founder/CEO, Compost Cab, Washington, DC

• Natasha Duarte, Director of the Composting Association of Vermont

Watch for the Series:

Part 4 April 21: "The Re-emergence of the “Victory Garden”: Selling Compost to Customers While They Shelter in Place". More details coming soon!

Composting In The Time of COVID-19: Part 2

What Will Be Covered in Part 2:

Compost manufacturers large and small are having to adapt to doing business during the pandemic. A panel of operators from across the country will answer questions about how they are managing during the emergency. Topics will include keeping employees safe, handling sales, contingency planning, and YOUR questions.

Panelists:

• Brian Fleury, WeCare Organics

• Pierce Louis, Dirthugger

• Patrick Geraty, St. Louis Composting

• Justen Garrity, Veteran Compost

Watch for the Series:

Part 3:  Week of April 13: Navigating Covid-19 for Small-Scale Food Scrap Collectors: Drop-off and Curbside

Part 4:  2nd Half of April: The re-emergence of the “Victory Garden”: Selling compost in the current economic environment; Home/Vermicomposting Considerations

More details coming soon!

Composting In The Time of COVID-19: Part 1

What Will Be Covered in Part 1:

What can science tell us about composting and the virus that causes COVID-19? What do we as composters need to know to control the disease and prevent it from spreading? In this webinar we will review safe handling procedures and meeting pathogen reduction standards (PFRP) at compost sites.

Speakers: Pat Millner, USDA Microbiologist and Jean Bonhotal, Cornell University Waste Management Institute.

Part 2:  April 7: Composting IS an essential service: Experiences and recommendations from around the country

• Panel: Brian Fleury, WeCare Organics; Pierce Louis, Dirthugger; Patrick Geraty, St. Louis Composting, Justen Garrity, Veteran Compost

Part 3:  Week of April 13: Navigating COVID-19 for Small-Scale Food Scrap Collectors: Drop-off and Curbside

Part 4:  2nd Half of April: The re-emergence of the “Victory Garden”: Selling compost in the current economic environment; Home/Vermicomposting Considerations