International Compost Awareness Week

April 18, 2017

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is a comprehensive educational initiative celebrated annually in the US and countries around the world during the first full week of May. Initiated in Canada in 1995, ICAW engages residents, businesses, communities, schools, and organizations to participate in outreach and activities promoting the importance of composting and the benefits of organics recycling.

According to the Composting Council Research & Education Foundation, the goal of ICAW is to “raise the awareness of the public regarding the benefits of using compost to improve or maintain high quality soil, to grow healthy plants, reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides, improve water quality and protect the environment.” The program includes a poster contest, programs at schools, and activities and events promoted through governments, public municipalities, and local businesses.

Each year for ICAW, a theme is chosen. This year’s theme is Compost! Healthy Soil, Healthy Food.

The theme is used for the basis of an annual Poster Contest. The contest is used to inspire artists of all ages and from all parts of the world to create a design that expresses the importance of composting and using compost. The winning poster is displayed by companies, schools, and organizations nationwide, as well as at the US Composting Council’s annual conference. This year’s winner is Ursula Gutowski, a graphic designer from Niles, IL.

During ICAW, events are sponsored by communities, schools, business, and institutions to encourage and celebrate composting. Events include compost operation tours, school composting and garden activities, compost workshops, compost “give-away” days, radio shows and speaker events, compost bin sales, and more. States and communities are encouraged to adopt ICAW Proclamations.

The Compost Foundation has a great “How to Celebrate ICAW” Manual with tips about planning an event, promotion, social media, talking points, resources, and other information. Event organizers are encouraged to post their events on the Foundation’s website.

A few of this year’s events posted on the ICAW website, include:

• ACP Legislator's Day, May 3, 2017
• Soil Festival; Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, May 6, 2017
• Culver City Self-Haul Compost Give Away, May 6, 2017
• Successful Backyard Composting Workshop, May 7, 2017
• Tour of A1 Organics Composting Facility, May 11, 2017
• Soil Life Series: Basic Composting, May 13, 2017
• Compost Giveaway, May 13, 2017

Nationally, this year’s events include the nationwide launch of the new video “The Compost Story,” from the creators of “The Soil Story.”

Companies are invited to join in the celebration by becoming ICAW sponsors. The Foundation provides a number of benefits for sponsors, including placement of company logos on the current year’s poster and being included in a comprehensive media outreach program. Sponsors of this year’s campaign include: Biobag USA, BioCycle Magazine, Composting News, Dart Container, Denali Water Solutions, Filtrexx, Forester Media, Green Mountain Tech, Laurel Valley Soils, McGill Environmental Systems, Natur-Tec, ReoTemp Instruments, Inland Empire Utilities Agency and ZERA.

Happy Composting!

By Athena Lee Bradley