With knowledge of the huge benefits of composting under your belt, do you find yourself wishing every day that you, a Tufts student, had an easy and convenient way to compost your own organic waste? Or maybe you've heard about composting, but have never given it much thought? In either case, proceed on, dear reader, because I have news for you.
Due to high demand, you can now easily drop off your compost at an on−campus location at your convenience! Whether you are an off−campus upperclassman with an environmental conscience or a dorm−entrapped culinary artist firmly set in your ideals, you too can participate in composting.
Thanks to Tufts Grounds Manager John Vik, who offered to arrange regular service pick up of the compost bin, Tufts students can ensure a better future for their natural waste. All you have to do is separate your organic materials (no animal products!) from the rest of your garbage and bring them to the bin, located at the rear of Miller Hall to the left of Tufts Institute of the Environment (TIE), any time during business hours Monday through Friday. You will find a key to the bin on a hook just inside the entrance to TIE (it must stay locked to avoid contamination). Unlock the bin, put your organic waste in, relock it and return the key as you found it. The materials you bring will be mixed in with grass clippings and brought to a composting facility by Jayco Landscape Supply of Waltham. It's that simple. And easy!
But before you run off to start waste−separating, overtaken and inspired by your excitement, let's take a step back. Why compost in the first place? In the current climate of environmental consciousness, you're probably already aware that waste in general is a problem. Composting is an easy way to cut back on the amount of waste that's disposed of because it allows organic materials to be reused. With the aid of oxygen and moisture, bacteria, fungi, molds, earthworms and other soil, organisms eat and convert organic materials into nutrients that plants can utilize. This natural process, which I'm sure you're familiar with, is called biodegradation. Composting is just purposeful biodegradation that creates a natural fertilizer which improves soil and therefore plant growth, an accessible application of the favorite "R" (reuse!) in an attempt to further the reduction of waste. Organic waste's unique potential to be reintegrated into the natural world and aid the environment should be too enticing to pass up. In a time of such awareness about diminishing resources, why wouldn't we convert our organic wastes into resources?
Tufts students' strong interest in composting was actualized last April by a collaboration between Tufts Dining Services, Tufts Recycles! and the Office of Sustainability. (As you may know, Tufts Dining already composts leftovers, but a public bin open to students had not yet been introduced). A three−week test bin, set up in the Mayer Campus Center, is open for drop−off from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The test bin was created to gauge whether students would use the program and to see if it could be used correctly, since any contamination would cause processors to reject the compost. Needless to say, students could not only handle the responsibility, but were enthusiastic about extending the program to dorms and other Tufts residences. In order to include all students interested in a simple set−up, the bin behind Miller was conceived, created and now stands eager to take organic waste off your hands. And with such student enthusiasm, rumor has it another bin could open at Tisch Library in the future.
Tufts also has a history of composting at major events, such as matriculation, upon request. The use of biodegradable plates and napkins has made this more efficient and less wasteful in the recent past (although biodegradable utensils are not compostable, which can become confusing). However, such tasks can be difficult, again due to the necessity of informed composters in order to eliminate contamination.
For this reason, Tufts Recycles! is always looking for people who would be interested in working on−site composting gigs, willing to valiantly stand between composters and the bin to prevent contamination. Such a person is integral to any major event−composting program. Another endeavor of Tufts Recycles! is to explore the option of placing more bins around campus. All departments interested in hosting bins would be very welcome. Please contact Dawn.Quirk@tufts.edu if you have interest in any of these areas, or want to get involved in composting at Tufts in any other way. And don't forget about the back−of−Miller compost drop−off site!
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Lucy McKeon is a senior majoring in English. She is an employee of Tufts Recycles!
