Most likely to backyard compost?

Hi Lauren,
I would suggest you contact the City of St. Albert as they have just lauched a compost program.Check: http://www.stalbert.ca/winterwaste



Patrick Inglis
Senior Program Manager, Energy Efficency and Conservation
Climate Change Central
Canada
www.climatechangecentral.com

Hi Lauren - Gardeners are one of the best target audiences for home composting. The City of Vancouver did a market survey a while back that reviewed audiences and other benefits/barriers to composting.

http://gw.vancouver.ca/fs/bid/bidopp/RFP/documents/PS10088AttachmentA-CityofVancouverBackyardComposting.pdf

The North Shore Recycling Program is also doing great work on home composting:

http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/002446.html

Good luck with your program!

Tamara Shulman
Environmental Planning and Consultation Specialist
EBA, a Tetra Tech Company
Canada

Hi Lauren,

In addition to the references from Tamara, I would add the work done in Langley, BC. The research by the City of Vancouver was part of the lit review we did in that project. Also, there is an amazing correlation between the findings in Langley, in terms of diversion, and that found by the good folks at North Shore. You can download the Langley report here: http://www.beyondattitude.com/2011/06/26/backyard-composting-cbsm-report/.

In Langley we also found out that gardeners were an important target audience. In fact, we found in our survey that almost all of the people composting in their backyard were gardeners. However, not all gardeners composted. So it was obvious that there was an opportunity to increase the amount of BYC by appealing to those gardeners who were not already composting.

Also, in a comprehensive pilot study conducted in 1990 in Durham Region, Ontario, we found that within the home, the adult female was the primary person who did the composting. When winter arrived, it was the adult male that got the job of taking the kitchen scraps to the comppster through the snow though.

Cheers,

Ken

Ken Donnelly
Vice President, Atlantic Canada
Lura Consulting
Canada
www.beyondattitude.com

My first suggestion is partnerships with 'footprint reducing' groups like Earth Day, Earth Hour, Waste Reduction Week, etc. Compost is not an 'entry level' initiative when it comes to environmental awareness, so people who have had success in an easier area will be open to trying a more advanced waste reduction program.

Farmer's Market information booths have been well recieved, since the link to tasty food and healthy living are so obvious

Edmonton's Waste Reduction Volunteers (edmonton.ca/mcrp) are at events celebrating Nature, Environment, Biodiversity, Natural Areas, etc. to build links between the event participant's interest in the topic and how composting will enhance efforts in those areas. The personal encouragement and supplemental material can get people started, but the trick is in tracking those outcomes.

As this forum has mentioned many times, a public commitment and follow-up will increase your probability of reaching your goal.

Mentorship in Community Gardens or places of worship can benefit that community plus provide outreach opportunities. Look for anyone focused on social justice and frame your presentation to build on their passion.

Our Open House events build links between municipal efforts and individual efforts in all areas of waste reduction. Proud citizens are more willing.

I have spoken to the Horticultural Society a few times, but their goal is beauty, and barriers to composting are built by guest speakers from greenhouses and magazines who use pretty pictures to sell their products. Tough crowd.

Hope that helps,

Mark Stumpf-Allen
Compost Programs Coordinator
City of Edmonton
Canada

Perhaps contact the Compost Council of Canada to see if they have data? Or the U.S. Composting Council in the U.S.

www.compost.org

www.compostingcouncil.org

Also perhaps give Nora Goldstein at Biocycle Magazine (Emmaus, Pennsylvania) a shout to see if they have any data/articles on the subject. www.jgpress.com

Also Cornell University...Jean Bonhotal...http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/Bonhotal.htm or Cathy Schwartz may have some suggestions. They're both great to deal with.

Norm Ruttan
President
iWasteNot Systems
Canada
www.iwastenotsystems.com

Thanks to each of you who took the time to respond. Great leads and information... much appreciated!

Warmly,

Lauren

Lauren Maris
Environmental Program Specialist
The City of Red Deer
Canada