Volunteer Composter
Insider Info
Mary Karish of Coppell, Texas, has earned the nickname "grass lady" because
of her composting skills. She volunteers to salvage grass clippings that are
headed for the landfill and gives them a new life by adding them to compost
bins.
What is compost? Compost is said to be one of the most valuable resources
for making yards and communities beautiful. And it's free! Leaves, grass and
branches are some of the materials used to create compost. Compost is typically
a mix of those decomposing plant materials and food waste. Compost is used
to fertilize soil naturally.
Volunteer composting is an ideal way to help protect the environment. When
volunteers compost, they divert ozone-damaging waste from landfills and create
the benefits of natural, life-promoting soil in the process.
The average American tosses away 4.5 pounds of trash per day, adding to
more than 236 million tons of garbage the U.S. accumulates annually, according
to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Of that amount, about 25 percent
is made up nearly equally of food scraps and yard debris, the EPA states.
These are the materials that produce ozone-damaging gases in landfills.
But volunteers can turn these environmental hazards into rich, life-supporting
compost.
Finished compost looks dark and has a pleasant smell. It's produced when
organic matter, such as garden, lawn and food, is broken down by bacteria
and fungi. It's used in gardens, lawns, flower beds and other places throughout
the community as a source of nutrients.
Volunteer composters can work in community gardens and outdoor centers.
They can also volunteer to teach others how to compost in their home gardens.
Letting others know about the benefits of composting is often a big part of
being a composting volunteer.
As a volunteer composter, Karish takes pride in collecting grass clippings
and leaves -- and enjoys participating in this volunteer work in her city.
Mary Karish and her husband John took the Master Composter Class offered
by the City of Coppell. The class provides information on the theory and application
of composting. It's held in the evenings for two consecutive nights, and all
day on a Saturday.
The couple originally registered to learn more about gardening and to meet
new people. "We figured a composting class might lead us to the secret art
of successful gardening," Mary says. "We discovered that composters make great
gardeners."
After the Karishes completed the class, they started composting as volunteers
at Coppell Community Gardens. John found that composting gave him an opportunity
to get outdoors, exercise and spend time with fellow compost volunteers.
"It also allows me to spend some fun time with my wife during the weekend,
and it's a way to demonstrate my active and visible commitment to the gardens,"
John says.
As a student in an environmental technology program, Marion Wylie started
volunteering at a compost education center.
"The center offers hands-on training, and an amazing volunteering environment,"
Wylie says. "There's definitely a sense of community among the volunteers
and staff. That was something I was definitely looking for as well."
Wylie volunteers in a variety of roles at the center. At Friday afternoon
work parties, she works in the organic gardens around the site, sifting compost,
planting, mulching, weeding and harvesting. She also spends time in the office,
selling compost supplies and doing data entry and other computer work.
As a volunteer, Wylie visits local schools, delivering compost education
programs with the education coordinator. She also assists with outreach activities,
participating in various community events.
Wylie gains many benefits as a volunteer composter, including a sense of
community and the chance to give back. She is getting a first-hand education
on organic gardening, composting and teaching others about the process.
By studying composting, the Karishes learned how to garden organically
and earned composting certification hours. Composting is also a good way to
learn about the benefits to eating healthier foods -- a skill people can use
for the rest of their lives, John says.
The main duties of a volunteer composter include collecting grass clippings
and leaves -- that's how Mary became known as the "grass lady."
"Some of the best conversations take place around compost turning, and
some special friendships were created over compost turning," Mary says.
Although Mary loves connecting with people, she most enjoys the opportunity
to help our environment. "The best part is that it teaches you to care," she
says.
How to Get Involved
To learn about composting, the Karishes enrolled in a course provided
by their city. Composting courses are offered through city governments, universities
and other organizations.
John recommends that people take a composting class before volunteering.
"It will allow you to provide more input to the process," he says.
"Our training program is geared for people of all ages or high school
students volunteer on a drop-by basis on Friday afternoons," says Marika Smith.
She is the volunteer and office manager at a composting center. Training at
her center is offered three times a year. Volunteers have about 17 hours of
classroom, practical and hands-on instruction. Following the training course,
volunteers complete a 30-hour practicum involving the hands-on application
of their newly acquired skills. An initial $100 deposit is required for the
training, of which $85 is reimbursed after completing a 30-hour practicum.
Volunteers at the center also receive a Master Composter certificate after
the practicum. The diversity of skills and training acquired through volunteer
composting looks great on a resume, Wylie says. In addition, volunteers almost
always gain connections in the environmental community.
"Just get out there and compost," Wylie says. "It's awesome, and you'll
learn so much."
Mary recommends contacting people involved in community gardens and finding
out if the gardens do composting.
Volunteers do not need to have completed the Master Composter certification.
"We have had people who were not associated with the community garden show
up, and they just came to turn for exercise, to learn new things, and have
a way to connect to other people," she says.
"Another fun idea is to hold compost turning parties in your neighborhood,"
she adds.
To earn a Master Composter certification, students complete 20 hours of
volunteer work related to composting, Mary says. Organizing presentations
about composting, educating others at city events on the fate of grass clippings
and the status of landfills, and helping a neighbor build a compost pile are
all examples of eligible volunteering.
The end results of the training are worth it, say those involved.
"Don't give up. One bag of grass clippings salvaged from the landfills
may not look like much, but the thousand mile journey starts with the first
step," Mary says. "Can you imagine the distance traveled of so many first
steps?"
Links
The Association of Compost Producers
Nonprofit association of public and private organizations dedicated
to increasing composting in California.
Charity Guide: Compost to Reduce Landfills
Information on how to make a difference through composting (and
other volunteer opportunities)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Composting
Discusses what composting is, what compost can be used for and
related topics
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