Meetings for the Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore are typically held on the second Wednesday of every month.
Our new meeting time and location is from
5:30pm-7:30pm at the Sage Diner in Onley.
Minutes from the last meeting, in March, can be found
here
.
Please join us for our next meeting TBA upon guidance of the Governor & other mandating agencies. All are welcome!
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News, Current Events, & Resources
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From Our Homes to Yours... Waste Watchers & the GreenWorks Committee wish everyone wellness, safety, and joy in the new normal we are exploring each day.
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GO
GREEN
WITH
LOOP STORE
! Check out how you can reduce the amount of packaging being used for all of your favorite items from your trusted brands!
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(Courtesy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
How Can YOU Contribute to Litter Reduction & Recycling While Socially Distancing?
It's simple - do what you can from your own home! Start a compost pile in your backyard!
Let's start with The Basics... What is compost?
Compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. Food scraps and yard waste together currently make up more than 28 percent of what we throw away, and should be composted instead. Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
What do I need to compost?
No matter what kind of composting you are doing, all composting must have these 3 basic ingredients:
- Browns - Materials such as dead leaves, branches, & twigs.
- Greens - Materials such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, & coffee grounds.
- Water - It is important for compost development to have the right amount of water, greens, & browns.
Your compost pile should have an equal amount of browns to greens.
You should alternate layers of organic materials of different-sized particles.
Brown
materials provide carbon for your compost;
Green
materials provide nitrogen;
Water
provides moisture to help break down the organic matter.
If this seems daunting, just start by creating a compost pile or bin. Any time you have something compostable, toss it on the pile (or in the bin) and walk away! You can always work toward refining your compost skills and compost pile!
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What To Compost:
- Fruits & Veggies
- Eggshells
- Coffee Grounds & Filters
- Tea Bags
- Nut Shells
- Shredded Newspaper
- Cardboard
- Paper
- Yard Trimmings
- Grass Clippings
- Houseplants
- Hay & Straw
- Leaves
- Sawdust
- Wood Chips
- Cotton & Wool Rags
- Dryer & Vacuum Cleaner Lint
- Hair & Fur
- Fireplace ashes
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What NOT To Compost & Why:
- Black Walnut Tree Leaves or Twigs
- Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
- Coal or Charcoal Ash
- Might contain substances harmful to plants
- Dairy Products (e.g., butter, milk, sour cream, yogurt)
- Create odor problems & attract pests such as rodents & flies
- Diseased or Insect-Ridden Plants
- Diseases or insects might survive & be transferred back to other plants
- Fats, Grease, Lard, Oils
- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents & flies
- Meat or Fish Bones & Scraps
- Create odor problems & attract pests such as rodents & flies
- Pet Wastes
- May contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, & viruses harmful to humans
- Yard Trimmings Treated with Chemical Pesticides
- May kill beneficial composting organisms
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You May Be Asking Yourself... WHY COMPOST?!
The 4 Main Benefits of Composting Are:
- Enriches soil, helping retain moisture & suppress plant diseases & pests.
- Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
- Encourages the production of beneficial bacteria & fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, a rich nutrient-filled material.
- Reduces methane emissions from landfills & lowers your carbon footprint.
The Best Part is - ANYONE CAN COMPOST!
Backyard Composting:
- Select a dry, shady spot near a water source for your compost pile or outdoor bin.
- Add brown & green materials as they are collected, making sure larger pieces are chopped or shredded.
- Moisten dry materials as they are added.
- Once your compost pile is established, mix grass clippings & green waste into the pile and bury fruit & veggie waste under 10" of compost material. (Or, if you're like me, just toss it on the pile... Mother Nature may take a little longer to do the job, but she'll get there!)
- Optional: Cover top of compost with a tarp to keep it moist. When the material at the bottom is dark & rich in color, your compost is ready to use. This usually takes anywhere between 2 months to 2 years.
Indoor Composting:
- Most local hardware stores, department stores, or gardening supply stores have a special type of bin you can use for composting materials indoors! If you can't find one - you can also DIY!
- Remember to tend to your pile & keep track of what you throw in. A properly managed compost bin will not attract pests or rodents & will not smell bad.
- Your indoor compost should be ready in 2 to 5 weeks!
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Kids at Home? They can compost too! Follow this
link
to explore more fun videos and activities to help them learn how!
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How the Plastics Industry Used Recycling
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Did you know you could RECYCLE products like Cigarettes, Coffee Pods, & Tons more for FREE?! Check out
Terracycle's Collection Programs
to explore the dozens of programs & get started!
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Have an idea for an area that needs attention? It's time to plan the Operation Our Clean Roads events for spring 2020. Get in touch so we can help you organize a fun and rewarding clean up day in your neck of the woods!
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Waste Watchers Leadership Needed!
Please "
look in your heart and see if you have a few hours a month to help out. And remember; people who are part of a group live longer, happier lives. Honest! Numerous studies have shown that to be true. So let us help you to live a better life by accepting a leadership role with us!
"
We are looking for a new Litter Survey Coordinator, and soon a Vice President.
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This monthly e-newletter is made possible by the GreenWorks Committee, a collaboration between the Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore and the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission!
These mailings will announce upcoming meetings of the Waste Watchers and those of the GreenWorks Committee, as well as potential volunteer opportunities, related community events, and locally relevant news articles.
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Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore | (757) 824-0608 | [email protected]| www.wastewatchers.esva.net
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