Skip to Content

[X] CLOSEMENU

NERC Blog

Student Art as Message

“Our creative projects communicate a vital and urgent environmental truth: We need to sustain the planet that sustains all our lives now and for our future generations.”

Zoos, Aquariums, and Eco-Friendly Waste Management Programs

NERC Supporting Member Solus Group blogs on composting and other sustainability measures being embraced by leading zoos in the United States.

The Dangers of “Wishcycling”

As the impacts of China’s new import policies to reduce trash in the recyclables begin to impact our collection programs, you may be seeing a lot more articles about the health of recycling, both locally and across the globe. In many cases, these articles are communicating the same basic information: • Recycling contamination – or the percentage of trash mixed with recyclables – has increased and it’s jeopardizing the global recycling industry • Going forward, China will not purchase recyclables if there is just a fraction of trash mixed with the items • As a result, we all must focus our efforts on recycling the right items the right way

A Diversion Model for Rural America

As a part of its environmental sustainability efforts, West Nottingham Academy in Maryland has developed a partnership with Kilby Farm and Creamery. Kilby Farm serves as an outdoor classroom for WNA students and provides internship opportunities for students. The Farm also has a methane digester for processing manure from its 600-cow dairy operation. Last year, Kilby Farm started accepting all of the food waste and soiled napkins from the WNA Dining Services to feed into their methane digester. Students designed the food scrap collection program, developed promotion (with assistance from Kilby Farm), and provided training and ongoing monitoring of the food scrap collection. Once per week the ollected food scraps are transported by school staff and students to be tipped into the digester. Ultimately, the students involved with the school’s sustainability efforts are hoping to promote its Kilby Farm partnership as a model for food waste diversion for other rural and agricultural communities. NERC is working with the school through its USDA funded "Implementing Food Waste, Organics, and Manure Management in Rural Maryland Communities".

Worm Farming in NYS

The BioSoil Farm produces worm castings, potting soil and liquid nutrients at their facility in Glenville, New York. The workforce producing these products? One hundred and fifty thousand Night Crawlers living in low-rise bins on the farm. In communities of around 10,000 per bin, the worms are fed organic waste grain and compost from a farm in Vermont to create microbe rich castings.

Page: