The “Dirt” on Composting in Corvallis Moving Towards a Zero-Waste Future Nathan Davis Iaroslav Vugniavyi Stephen Naimoli
Introduction ● The Coalition’s Goal: o 75% waste recovery rate by 2020 ● Class Goals o Deliverables to the Coalition o Learning Outcomes
Overview ● Background and Objectives -- Nathan Davis ● Findings -- Iaroslav Vugniavyi ● Recommendations -- Stephen Naimoli ● Conclusions ● Questions and Answers
What is Composting? • Yard Waste • Food Scraps • Backyard composting pile • Republic Services yard waste bin 3
Background ● Community Sustainability Action Plan ● Waste Prevention Action Team ● Recycling Block Captain Program
Objectives ● Research Questions ● Generally o Baseline Statistics o How can the Corvallis o Motivations and Sustainability Barriers Coalition encourage residential o Best Practices composting?
Approach ● Survey
Map of covered areas
Approach ● Survey ● Focus Groups ● Case Studies
Findings Photo Source: http://www.expert2rich.com/
Key Findings Current composting Motivations Barriers habits
49% of survey respondents throw food scraps away with the regular trash; 44% compost food scraps in the yard waste bin; and 15% use a home composting system How do residents of surveyed areas dispose their food scraps? 70% 60% 49.18% 50% 44.26% 40% % 30% 20% 14.75% 13.11% 10% 0% In a home compost Put food scraps in a Along with the Give it to a pet pile yard waste bin regular trash N=60
30% of non- composters surveyed have tried composting in the past Photo Source: http://www.shutterstock.com/s/past+present+future/search.html
Homeowners are more likely than renters to compost food scraps and use a home composting system Types of food waste disposal for owners and renters 70% 62.07% 60% 48.39% 50% 38.71% 37.93% 40% % 30% 22.58% 20% 16.13% 10.34% 6.90% 6.45% 10% 3.45% 0% In a home Put food scraps In the garbage Along with the Give it to a pet compost pile in a yard waste disposal in the regular trash bin kitchen sink Own Rent N=60
Most households that compost do so because they believe it is good for the environment and seek to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill. Why do surveyed households compost? 70% 60% 51.72% 50% 37.93% 40% % 30% 24.14% 17.24% 20% 13.79% 10% 0% It's a It's good for the It's good for my It reduces It reduces waste convenient way environment garden trash/saves in the landfill to dispose of space in the food scraps trash can N=28
Households that garden are more likely to compost food scraps Presence of a garden and types of food waste disposal 70% 60.34% 60% 47.53% 50% 44.75% 40% 34.93% % 30% 17.48% 17.63% 20% 9.90% 10% 5.34% 4.75% 4.75% 0% In a home Put food scraps In the garbage Along with the Give it to a pet compost pile in a yard waste disposal in the regular trash bin kitchen sink N=60 Garden No garden
Composters stated that composting is a common practice amongst friends, which indicates the importance of social and community norms Photo Source: http://www.ucview.com/wiki
“I’ve never composted. My parents put everything in the garbage disposal. Now it goes in the disposal like everything else ” "I like the idea of composting. It feels like a very Oregonian and Corvallis value to compost food scraps“ “Corvallis is way ahead of the game culturally and socially. That pressure is there, but maybe the functionality needs to catch up a bit ... It’s interesting how your behavior is defined by social pressures.”
A primary barrier to composting is lack of knowledge in: Awareness that food Understanding scraps can be placed in the importance the yard bin of composting Understanding how to compost and what can be composted
Photo Source: http://www.southsouth.info/profiles/blogs/ “There’s a lot understanding about the environmental benefits of recycling that there isn’t about composting…. I just don’t know what I’m not doing, and what sin I’m really committing [by not composting ]” “[ Back when I didn't compost] I just didn't have the info .”
Photo Source: http://www.pd4pic.com/icon-food-white-cartoon-page-can-out-free-trash.html concerns about pests or unwanted odors composters have Most non-
Other barriers include: Notion that composting is time-consuming Lack of an established household system to collect food scraps Low priority for composting
“ For me recycling cans and bottles is a no brainer, but I just never thought of my food scraps as that big of a deal” Photo Source: http://www.fchcinc.org/patient-portal-disclaimers
RECOMMENDATIONS
Provide stickers for yard waste bins ● Inform residents ● Clarify misconceptions Photo Source: San Francisco Department of the Environment
Provide stickers for yard waste bins Focus groups ● Composters suggested adding signage to yard waste bin ● Half of non-composters indicated it would help remind them
Provide kitchen bins ● Inform residents ● Increase convenience Photo Source: Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
Provide kitchen bins Focus groups ● Usefulness of kitchen bins: relieve inconvenience Case studies ● Portland Conservation Specialist: providing kitchen bins among highest contributors to increasing composting participation
Organize composting demonstrations at community events ● Role for RBCP ● Interactive ● Educate residents ● Create social norms
Organize composting demonstrations at community events Focus groups ● Composting behaviors are ingrained ● Composters reference peers’ behavior ● Non-composters do not see the importance of composting
Expand beyond a residential focus ● Government, businesses, non-profits, schools, etc. ● Create community norms
Expand beyond a residential focus Case studies ● Social norms play a role in behavior Focus groups ● Composting behaviors can be habitual, part of a lifestyle “People...want to live in Boulder because of the reputation it has for being sustainable, and part of that is then doing their part to help achieve zero waste .” – Residential Sustainability Specialist, City of Boulder
Pilot programs at smaller scales before wider implementation ● Ensure effectiveness ● Receive early feedback
Pilot programs at smaller scales before wider implementation Case studies ● All of the cases utilized pilot programs Pilot programs help the city “really understand community opinions about the system” and focus on “targeting outreach and troubleshooting to meet those needs ” – Conservation Program Specialist, City of Portland
Conclusions
Conclusions Findings Recommendations ● Statistics ● Supply residents with resources ● Motivations ● Expand outreach ● Barriers ● Pilot new programs
Acknowledgements ● Dawn Marie Gaid and ● Kelle Boumansour, Rachel Snyder Amanda Romero, Becky ● Annette Mills and Andrea Kobow, and Sharon Barnes ● Focus group volunteers Norris ● Republic Services ● Survey respondents ● Marge Stevens, Karen ● Dr. Denise Lach ● Dr. Hilary Boudet Sundseth, and Lauri Richer ● Scott Dybvad
THANK YOU 40
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
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