Composting comes to Mundell

Just in time for International Compost Awareness week, Mundell has begun composting in our Irvington office!

We are partnering with Irvington’s Good to Grow, a neighborhood business who picks up our office waste we collect and makes the magic happen. Several of our employees have joined in, composting at their houses as well.

What are we composting?

In addition to our existing recycling efforts, we are composting our organic lunch waste (think fruit and veggie scraps), coffee grounds, used paper towels from wiping our hands off in the kitchen and bathroom, and leaf clippings from our office plants. You can compost much more, but beware of meats and oils that attract unwanted animals.  See www.Irvgtg.org for a whole list of do’s and don’ts plus info on their composting services.

Why Compost

There are many good reasons why we wanted to start composting. First, composting helps reduce the waste we send to the landfill, where transportation and waste management practices are harmful to the earth. It also helps us be more aware of the amount of waste we generate. One employee told us “When I started composting, I realized how much of my fruits and vegetables I was wasting as my compost bin started to fill up. Now I try to use as much of the produce pieces as possible.”

Second, we get to turn our waste into something usable and good for the earth. The compost product is full of the basic nutrients that help plants grow and thrive, plus micronutrients that can’t be found in commercial fertilizers. Compost is a natural process that enriches our soil, especially sandy soil, allowing air to penetrate, moisture to be retained, and excess water to drain away. As an environmental firm, we know the importance of good soil. Healthy soil that can retain moisture helps prevent erosion and runoff into our water supply which may carry fertilizers and pesticides. And when we compost, we don’t need those fertilizers to help our plants grow!

International Compost Awareness Week

Each year the US Composting Council hosts this educational initiative during the first full week in May to bring awareness to the need for healthy soil in our country. This year’s theme is “Compost – The Soil and Water Connection.” Events throughout the country will focus on the role of compost in all parts of our lives – from brownfield mitigation to agriculture to erosion control and water conservation. There is much more to learn on their website at compostingcouncil.org/resources.

Let’s get turning!