FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 7, 2024
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Interim City Manager Alex Posada
SUBJECT: Proclamation – “Compost Awareness Week” – May 5 through 11, 2024
Present a Proclamation recognizing May 5th through 11th, 2024, as Compost Awareness Week in the City of Santa Maria.
BACKGROUND:
The Compost Research & Education Foundation, along with Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and other countries have declared the first full week of May to be the annual International Compost Awareness Week.
DISCUSSION:
Organic materials suitable for composting represent a large percentage of materials that are landfilled and could be composted each year and composting is an effective form of waste reduction, reuse and r ecycling. Compost improves the soil structure, reduces erosion and run -off, supplies the soil with a variety of macro and micronutrients; and enables compost-amended soils to use less water.
The City of Santa Maria has initiated Greenwaste and Foodwaste collection programs to aid in the efforts of Environmental Sustainability. Engel & Gray Inc. Regional Composting Facility, Santa Maria, has been successfully composting organic material for sustainable agricultural practices since 1993, and the City has invested in collection programs to meet state requirements and save valuable landfill space.
Attachment: Proclamation