I first heard of the Master Composter
Recycler Program in May 2011. I had only just become interested in being green and was doing what
I knew I could: recycling items that were recyclable, bringing a reusable to-go
cup with me when I bought coffee, and taking fabric bags to the grocery store.
I wanted to find out how I could do more, and everywhere I looked it seemed the two best ways to be environmentally
conscious were to have a garden and to compost. When I searched for courses in Edmonton, I came across an ad for the Master Composter Recycler
Program and it seemed like exactly what I was searching for. I marked when the
next training would start (almost a full year away) and eagerly awaited my chance to be a
part of the program.
I applied for the MCR program with a friend of
mine from work. Other people we worked with immediately dubbed the program
“Garbage Club” and for the remainder of the training remained convinced that we
were playing with garbage whenever we had class (which I assure you, we did
not). Despite the teasing, they always wanted to
know exactly what we had learned - there would be
a group eagerly awaiting us the morning after each class. People at work started recycling their bottles, taking to-go mugs
for coffee runs in the day, and a couple even starting asking questions on how
they could start their own compost bin. Clearly, our excitement was contagious!
From the moment I walked into the first
class, I knew I was going to love it. The training was made up of a very
varied group- women and men from their 20’s-60’s. Despite the difference in age
and occupation, we had a lot in common - our love for the environment, our desire to expand our knowledge, and the passion to teach others what we were learning.
The classes themselves were packed full of
information- teaching us what could or could not be recycled, how garbage was
collected within Edmonton, different styles of composting that were available,
as well as lessons on how to be a better public speaker and different ways we
could volunteer around the city. Each class I would arrive, tired from my day
at work and instantly feel a sense of rejuvenation as I walked into the class,
other people’s excitement increasing my own.
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| Recycling collected in a SINGLE day! |
On each Saturday, we went on a different
field trip. The first week we toured the Edmonton Waste Management Facility, and it was
amazing- we watched employees sort the recycling by hand, after some items had been machine sorted. We also saw the full garbage sorting process from the first stage, where the
garbage is dropped off, to the last where several machines to separate the organic compostable goods from non-organics. Those end up in the landfill. Finally, we actually got to see the large
piles of compost that Edmonton has as a result of the sorting done. This is the
waste of every Edmontonian, which without any effort on the residents
part, is separated and processed in a
large building, where later the compost is sold to those who would like to
purchase it. I've never seen or heard of another city that puts this effort
into reducing the waste that goes into the landfill.
It sounds impossible, but the second week’s field trip topped the first. It was what I had been excited about since I had first
learned I was accepted for the training - we learned how to compost! Before this training, I thought there was one type of compost. I thought you put
your food scraps into a pile and a few months later, the food had magically
become soil. This is not the case AT ALL! There are so many different types of
composting- vermicomposting, bokashi composting, lasagna composting, hot composting, lazy
composting- the list just kept going! It truly showed that no matter where you
live, the space you have, or how much free time is available, there is always a
way to compost!
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| Making worm bins of our own! |
The final Saturday was the last MCR class, and it was met with both excitement and sadness. The end
of our training signalled the the phase as a Master Composter Recycler; it was time to give back to the program and to the community. The entire
Master Composter Recycler Program is provided to the attendees free of charge,
and in response, each member volunteers 35 hours in the next year. Chances to volunteer are provided by the City, but we could also create our own
opportunities - such as having a movie night with friends to watch an
environmental movie, or even talking with people about how to compost. This is our way to
thank the City for having such a wonderful program, and taking the initiative
to be green. It is also our opportunity to get more people interested in being
green and making the world a better place.
To quote Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like
you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” The
graduates of MCRP do care, and by giving back through volunteering, we’re
hoping to continue to get more and more people to care too.
Looking back at that training, I am so thankful to have been a part of the program.
It truly makes me proud to live in Edmonton and tell other people the how the City is working to ensure we leave as small of a footprint as possible. I
look forward to continuing to volunteer in our city for years to come, helping
to teach others how easy it is to reduce our waste!
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Sarah completed her MCR training in 2012.
What odd items do you collect for recycling? reuse? or composting?
