What is the value of food scraps, paper towels and napkins? What if we could transform more of these everyday materials into rich, fertile soil? We can!

At Laney College, a new “Scraps to Soil” initiative has launched to boost campus composting — so we can all help turn everyday food scraps & paper into valuable dirt!
From now til Spring 2012, the initiative will encourage students, staff, and faculty to turn food and paper “waste” into valuable soil for local farms, as well as for the campus garden (located between the Bistro and the Lake Merritt estuary channel). Green food scrap bins will be available to use in the student cafeteria and at the campus Bistro — so everyone can throw their leftover food scraps in the green bins around campus!

When we put foodscraps, paper napkins, plants, yard trimmings, and sawdust into the trash, we lose the opportunity to turn them into valuable community resources. Landfills put a heavy strain on local government budgets and our natural environment. These valuable materials however, when diverted from the landfill, can be turned into soil for growing local food, creating green jobs, and supporting healthy environments.

GET INVOLVED – JOIN THE “SCRAPS TO SOIL” INITIATIVE!

We need students to help get Laney College on track as a “Scraps to Soil” leader in Oakland! Activities for students:

• Get the word out to your fellow students – and be sure to recycle your food scraps!
• Attend a “Scraps to Soil” campus event or schedule a classroom presentation!
• Join the Volunteer Crew to help boost composting and spread the word on campus!

For more info, contact: Aaron Lehmer, aaron@baylocalize.org / (510) 834-0420>

The Scraps to Soil initiative is a joint collaboration between Bay Localize, Habitile Living Wall Systems, Laney College, Natural Logic, and Sustainable Peralta, funded in part through StopWaste.org.