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In this issue: Master Composter Workshop, Earth Day UTA, Leaf Recycling, Keep Texas Beautiful and more.
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Master Composter Workshop
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The Master Composter Workshop is quickly approaching. Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to volunteer!
The workshop is on Friday, February 24th and Saturday, February 25th. This two-day workshop takes place Friday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Veterans Center at 406 Summit Avenue near UTA. Class participants will learn composting basics, the benefits of composting and proper pile building techniques
. The Saturday class is a hands-on outdoor class at the UTA compost site. Please help us promote the course by sharing the course link on social media and thank you to everyone who has already signed up to work the event!
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UTA will be hosting their annual Earth Day on Wednesday, April 19th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. I am looking for two volunteers to work the Master Composter booth and distribute information about our backyard compost class and answer any composting questions. If you are interested in volunteering for this fun event, please let me know. I will be there as well with a City of Arlington booth right next to you - Jennifer
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A great way to spread the word about our backyard composting program is to keep a few copies of our flyer in your vehicle. Whenever you visit an establishment with a pin-up information board, pin a copy of the flyer. Some locations I have done this include Starbucks, Calloways, Ace Hardware and Whole Foods Market. Also, don't forget to share the flyer on your social media pages!
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Arlington residents recycled over 221 tons of leaves during our Leaf Recycling Program which ran from November 1st through January 1st. Leaf recycling was extended until the end of January at the Arlington Landfill. To help encourage residents to compost or mulch their leaves, Master Composters John Darling and Stephen Ives volunteered to be stars in a Leaf Recycling PSA (Public Service Announcement). Check out the video.
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Keep Texas Beautiful has a patch program that is designed to recognize outstanding efforts of youth in their communities. Check out this new "I can Dig It" badge that will be distributed to Kacey Cunningham and the boy scouts who have been learning composting at our Tierra Verde location. The I Can Dig It patch can be earned by completing projects that involve digging, dirt and beautifying your community.
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The Keep Texas Beautiful School Art Contest has started. Do you know a teacher or school administrator? Do you have kids in school? Read more about this great contest and encourage your school to participate. Winning entries will be featured in the annual school calendar and will promote litter prevention initiatives. The contest runs now through April 7th.
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Thank you to Phil Kabakoff and the Citizens on Patrol for having me come join them at their January 12th meeting at the West Police Station to present all of our wonderful Environmental Programs. A few of them have already signed up for our Master Composter Workshop in February.
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Earth Day Texas is a free three-day event held at Dallas Fair Park Friday, April 21st through Sunday, April 23rd from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. Earth Day Texas brings together environmental organizations, businesses, academic institutions, government agencies, speakers, interactive programming and subject matter experts. Attendees enjoy numerous outdoor experiences such as live music, demonstrations, entertainment, sustainable food pavilions, electric bike test tracks and family fun. Last year, the festival drew over 130,000 attendees and is one of the largest eco-festivals in the nation. Check out this awesome video from last year's event.
This year, the Arlington Master Composters have been invited to host a compost demonstration depot at the festival. I will be forming an Earth Day Texas team for those interested in volunteering at the event. We will determine our involvement in the event, which days and times we wish to volunteer and laying out a class/demonstration schedule.
If you are interested in being a part of this great festival, and assisting with the Compost demonstration depot, please email me at
Jennifer.Shaver@arlingtontx.gov
. This is a great way to promote composting and our compost program to the DFW community!
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