Newsletter 
April 2015 

ASP Composting Hands-On Workshop
Thursday, April 29th - Sunday, May 2nd

Twice a year, we host a "hands-on" training workshop for people who are already composting as well as those who are planning to get started. No experience is necessary! We will begin on the evening of Wednesday, April 29th and conclude on Saturday afternoon, May 2nd.

We intentionally keep the group small (8-10 participants) to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate and learn the process first hand. Our next Workshop is just THREE weeks away and we still have a few spots open if you are interested in joining us.

Review our Workshop Flyer for more information. Call our office (360.568.8085) or email sherri@o2compost.com to register.

Providing Job Opportunities for Students

Back in 2011, O2Compost helped our friend Tom Goldsmith design and construct an aerated compost system at St. John's University in New York. The university's sustainability program collects food waste from university dining halls and coffee shops, composts it on campus, and utilizes the finished compost in sustainable landscape practices and in a student run organic garden. This effort has reduced St. John's carbon footprint by eliminating the need for the Department of Sanitation to transport food waste to a landfill, thereby significantly reducing both truck exhaust and the production of landfill greenhouse gases.

Their composting project helped St. John's achieve a Gold Rating with the AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Program.

Four years later, we would like to share another success story from St. John's University. Under the continued leadership of Tom Goldsmith (Director of Energy and Environmental Conservation), students are being recognized (and hired) for the skills and knowledge they have learned through the Sustainability program at St. John's - and we couldn't be more pleased.

Here is the great article St. John's has shared with us. These kids are our future!!

Peter's Rules of Composting - A 12-Part Series

Rule 11:  Always Strive to Improve Product Quality 

One of the primary objectives with running a compost facility is to operate it efficiently to reduce both the time and expense of producing a finished product. It is generally agreed that every compost system is unique in how it operates and that the method of operation will evolve over time.

In addition to operating efficiently, always striving to improve your product quality will be the key to your success. When you focus on product quality, everything else about the compost system will fall into line. This is a very simple rule, but it is also one of the most important rules.

In our February Newsletter, we included Rule 10: Every System Has Constraints. Keeping Rules 10 & 11 in mind, it is important to make decisions about the compost facility by asking a two-fold question:  "What is the most important constraint to resolve next, and how does the proposed resolution improve product quality?" 

Previous Rules:

Rule 1 - Start With the End in Mind  (April Newsletter)
Rule 2 - To Learn to Compost, One Must Compost  (June Newsletter)
Rule 3 - Every Question About Composting Has Only One Answer  (July Newsletter)
Rule 4 - Oxygen is the Secret to Composting  (August Newsletter)
Rule 5 - Water is the Highway of Life  (September Newsletter)
Rule 6 - Composting Takes Time  (October Newsletter)
Rule 7 - There are No Decimal Points in Composting  (November Newsletter)
Rule 8 - Think BIG, Start Small  (December Newsletter)
Rule 9 - It is Important Critical to Make Mistakes  (January Newsletter)
Rule 10 -  Every System Has Constraints  (February Newsletter) 

Frequently Asked Question

"How close to paddocks/barns can my compost structure be?"

ANSWER:

Locating the compost system in close proximity to the paddocks and barns will not present a problem and, in fact, I recommend it for chore efficiency. Note:

• The fly gestation period is 3-5 days and because you will be continually covering up the raw material as you fill the bin, files won't have time to hatch and be a nuisance.
   
• Regarding odor, the core of the filled bin will be anaerobic prior to inducing airflow. With the first and second cycle of aeration, you will likely notice a funky odor come off the bin; however, this mellows out almost immediately as we establish aerobic conditions. As a result, odor will not be a problem either.

OWNER:   Denise W.

LOCATION:  Yukon, Oklahoma

Two horses on fine pine shavings bedding

This system can also be found on our website (Big Cedar Farm).

Coming Events

April 13 - 14, 2015
BioCycle West Coast Conference
- Portland, Oregon
Peter Moon will be speaking about the onsite compost system that we designed for the city's women's prison and its recent expansion to accommodate food waste generated by 2500 prisoners.
For more information, visit http://www.biocyclewestcoast.com/ 

April 29 - May 2, 2015
ASP Hands-On Workshop
- Seattle, Washington
This 3-day event bridges the gap between the classroom and the field.
We have a few spaces remaining. Email:  sherri@o2compost.com
View our event Flyer for details.

June 1 - 4, 2015
WasteExpo
- Las Vegas, Nevada
More than 560 exhibiting companies, comprehensive conference sessions and workshops, and over 11,000 total participants.
For more information, visit http://www.wasteexpo.com/we15/public/enter.aspx.