Celebrating International Compost Awareness Week

There's no better time to launch or participate in a composting program than International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), which is held May 6-12 and managed by the Composting Council Research & Education Foundation (CCREF). ICAW, which began in Canada in 1995, has a goal of raising awareness of the public regarding the benefits of using compost to improve or maintain high-quality soil, grow healthy plants, reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides, improve water quality and protect the environment. 

The theme for this year is "Compost! Building a Better Future," and throughout the week, participants can take part in programs at schools and activities and events promoted through governments, public municipalities and local businesses. Some of the events taking place include backyard and large-scale composting programs, school gardening programs, compost workshops and tours of compost facilities.

In fall 2017, ICAW held a poster contest, which challenged children, youth and adults across the globe to create a design based on this year's theme. The winner of the contest is Talia Mitre, a high school student from Rockville, Md.

“The focus of ICAW is to educate the general public about the important benefits of recycling our organic waste into compost,” said Ginny Black, CCREF trustee chair, in a statement. “This year’s theme is based on how compost is good for plants, people and our planet—it's good for our future. Ms. Mitre’s poster illustrates that theme beautifully.”

In celebration of International Compost Awareness Week, Waste360 has rounded up 10 articles that highlight creative and effective composting efforts.