By Daily Press staff
Maybe the grass could be greener on your side. The City of Santa Monica Solid Waste Management Division and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is offering a free composting workshop on Saturday, June 3, at the Patio in Virginia Avenue Park, 2200 Virginia Avenue.
Those who attend will be schooled in techniques such as improving their yard and garden, recycling yard waste and kitchen scraps, reducing waste going to landfills, creating water wise-landscapes and purchasing compost bin.
The rich nutrients from composted yard trimmings and kitchen scraps add to a garden’s health by reducing waste, water consumption and chemical use. Composting reduces costs associated with fertilizers, conditioners and mulch. Composting also helps residents avoid higher costs for trash disposal and helps the city reduce the burden of recycling the material, further saving money for the community. The City of Santa Monica will distribute compost bins for the discounted price of $25 to residents ($35 for non-residents).
How we design, plant and maintain our gardens impacts our local environment. Fact: More pesticides are applied in urban areas than in agricultural areas. The pesticides show up in our waters and impact public health.
Fact: Typical urban gardens create more carbon dioxide than oxygen due to the motorized garden tools widely used, tools that are many times more polluting than modern automobiles.
Fact: The green waste generated from landscaped areas is costly to handle and makes up approximately one fifth of all municipal waste generated.
Gardens can be managed to reduce or eliminate all of these impacts and composting is an important first step. Let this workshop be your guide to creating a healthier landscape and environment.
For more information or to RSVP, call (310) 458-8546 or e-mail
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 30, 2006. Read the original PDF.