SRU hosting composting workshop Nov. 7
Slippery Rock University is hosting a workshop at the Macoskey Center where faculty, staff, students and the public can learn how to develop their own composting system.
Oct. 22, 2018
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Slippery Rock University will host a workshop from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Nov. 7 at SRU's Macoskey Center for Sustainability Systems Education and Research to help people learn the process of composting, which is turning refuse food and plant material into rich soil.
"For people who want to reduce waste and protect the environment, composting is the next step beyond recycling," said Shawn Davis, assistant professor of parks, conservation and recreational therapy. "Composting continues the cycle for reusing organic materials, like food scraps, that provide nutrients for the soil."
DAVIS
Davis will lead the workshop called "Composting 101: Your 'How to' Guide to Composting."
"We'll share do-it-yourself solutions that will make composting easy," said Davis, who is co-coordinator of educational programs at the Macoskey Center. "Many people think that composting requires a lot of space in your yard but you can have a small unit in your apartment that fits on a countertop and there are systems that address other perceived barriers, like worrying that it will smell bad or attract bugs and rodents."
Attendees will learn how to create their own composting system by using a recycled bucket to collect organic waste in their home and how to repurpose the compost, either for their garden or for places like the Macoskey Center that accept compost donations.
Workshop participants will receive tips for optimizing the effectiveness of the compost by adding the right amounts of "browns," such as dried leaves and newspaper that provide carbon, and "greens," such as vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and eggshells that provide nitrogen.
This is the second year that Davis is hosting the composting workshop, which is part of the SRU Leadership Development Center's professional development programming to cultivate lifelong learning. The workshop, which attracted 15 people last year, is open to the public but space is limited to 20 seats.
For more information about the Leadership Development Center, click here. To register for professional development programs, including the Composting 101 workshop, contact Erin Strain at: 724.738.4334 or erin.strain@sru.edu.
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu