TESTIMONY
Justin Green, Executive Director of Big Reuse, on Restoring Funding for Community Composting Programs
1:37:45
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123 sec
Justin Green, Executive Director of Big Reuse, advocates for the restoration of funding for community composting programs.
- Thanks chair and supporting council members for their support of community composting.
- Raises concerns about the Department of Sanitation New York (DSNY)'s co-digestion methods, emphasizing the negative impact on community participation and environmental sustainability.
- Highlights Big Reuse's achievements in composting over 2.2 million pounds of organic waste annually, benefiting numerous community groups and events.
- Mentions the significant staff layoffs due to DSNY budget cuts and the temporary emergency funding that is about to run out.
- Appeals for a budget allocation to support community organizations in continuing community-based composting programs.
Justin Green
1:37:45
Hi.
1:37:46
I'm Justin Green.
1:37:47
I'm the executive director of Big Ries.
1:37:49
I'm here to testify to restore the budget for community composting for rooms.
1:37:54
First, I'd like to thank chair for you.
1:37:57
For your support for community composting, your support for environmental work in the city, and for the hearing.
1:38:05
Want to thank our many other supporting council members.
1:38:08
We've really seen broad support throughout the council for community composting, and it's been great.
1:38:14
We also applied a DSMI's rollout of organic waste collection and expansion of the Fresh Hills composting facility.
1:38:21
We are concerned about DSNY's co digestion of food waste with sewage and AD because it undermines community participation by not actually making compost as he pointed out.
1:38:33
It supports ongoing fossil fuel infrastructure at National Grid and produces a digestate which concentrates microplastic and over 700 chemicals and leftover digest it, which reduces its usability and is questionable beneficial use.
1:38:48
Big release has been a dedicated partner of DSNY Compose Project for the last decade.
1:38:53
Before the elimination of of our funding in December, we annually composted £2,200,000 of organic waste from parks, leaf, and yard waste and food waste at 3 community based sites produced over a 1000 cubic yards that went over 300 groups, parks, and street trip care events.
1:39:11
Benefiting and engaging tens of 1000 of new workers.
1:39:14
DSNY budget cuts forced us to lift 10 curbside organic waste staff and 7 community composting staff.
1:39:22
We have temporary emergency private funding that have allowed us to keep on 3 staff.
1:39:28
But the funding runs out in May.
1:39:31
With a budget of $1,800,000,000, DSMI can easily afford to support community organizations and the botanical gardens as they have for the last 30 years to continue community based programs uplifting comp posting.
1:39:48
Thank you so much.
