TESTIMONY
Arif Sunmonu, Government Affairs Lead at GrowNYC, on the Impact of Budget Cuts on Community Composting and Zero Waste Programs
6:53:29
·
3 min
Arif Sunmonu provided testimony highlighting the elimination of funding for GrowNYC and other organizations operating community composting and zero waste programs in New York City.
- The mayor's budget cuts resulted in defunding GrowNYC's food scrap drop-off program, zero waste schools program, and Stop 'N' Swap reuse events
- These cuts could dismantle the largest community composting program in the nation and undo over 30 years of building processing capacity
- GrowNYC alone faces losing 94 staff positions, with 79 being union jobs, due to the funding loss
- The testimony urged restoring $7 million for community composting and $2.5 million for GrowNYC's programs to continue critical waste diversion, education, and climate action efforts
Arif Sunmonu
6:53:29
Good morning.
6:53:30
Thank you, Council Chair, Brennan, Council Chair, Krishnan, Council Chair, the brave for the opportunity and the rest of the committee as well for the opportunity to testify today.
6:53:38
My name is Ruth Simoneau.
6:53:39
I'm the government affairs lead at Corona IC.
6:53:42
Corona IC is here today to support the restoration of funding and reinvestment in com community composting as well as the other zero waste programming at Ground YC.
6:53:50
The mayor's budget have eliminated funding for growing YC and the 7 organizations that make up the New York City compost project.
6:53:56
In addition, the city is not in time to continue funding for our 0 waste schools program.
6:54:00
Which since 2010 has been instrumental in introducing the next generation of New Yorkers to the importance and practice of waste reduction, composting and recycling as our colleagues will testify today.
6:54:11
And as well as our our popular Stop and Swap program, which since 2007 has diverted over £1,000,000 of of goods and reusable items by working with over a 100,000 passionate New Yorkers to host 450 communities community events across our city.
6:54:24
While Burlington received dropped that funding to support its Compress program.
6:54:28
These funds will not carry us through the next fiscal year.
6:54:30
In fact, they're sharing us held on what is officially the last day of Corona Lionseas popular.
6:54:34
Well utilized food scrap drop off program, which is operated for the past 13 years.
6:54:40
Our our our delivery of food scraps collected last week and are being delivered today to earth matter and governors on for the last time.
6:54:46
Over the past 13 years, growing, we see has diverted over 200 over £25,000,000 of produce.
6:54:51
I mean, over £25,000,000 food scraps and disposals, and over 3,000,000 individual working with over 300 I mean, sorry, over 3,000,000 individual food scraps donation from the public.
6:55:01
Simply put the loss of these programs as tragic.
6:55:04
If funding from for coronavirus programs does not restore the program, we have provided to millions of New Yorkers over the past 18 years, empowering them to take personal action against climate change will cease to exist on June 30th.
6:55:14
In addition, if funding is not restored to our partners in the compost project, we are risk of losing the longstanding community compost program in the nation, the the largest and the longest running community compost program in the nation.
6:55:25
And dismantling the processing capacity that is diligently that we've diligently built over the last 30 years, in which we've grown our 0 lives.
6:55:32
The budget cuts have also a human cost.
6:55:34
The loss of funding for growing IC programs alone will result in the loss of 94 jobs, 79 of which are union.
6:55:40
In fact, we'll lay out the bulk of our compost stock today.
6:55:43
In addition to our numerous waste of version of the compliments, our accomplishments, our compost program has an invaluable educational component and engages communities through free compost gift box events and street care events that throughout the fibros.
6:55:54
It also educates the public on the importance of composting and education and its impact on global climate change.
6:56:00
Our Zero Way Schools program helps to train the next generation of climate leaders, and our stop and stop program facilitates and reinforces the importance.
6:56:07
Of reuse over a disposal.
6:56:09
We urge the mayor's office and the city council to restore funding for the the growing YC and the NYC Compose Project.
6:56:14
Which will allow us to continue the most important and successful community compost program in the nation that serves as a model for others around the country.
6:56:20
These programs, if not made, will and will enthusiastically sorry.
6:56:26
If these programs will enthusiastically educate the public to participate in the city's curbside program during the theoretical early years of implementation.
6:56:33
We respect the request the restoration of 7,000,000 for the community composting and 2,500,000 for ground wise series programs.
6:56:40
You know, we look forward to working with council member Brennan, Krishnan, and and a brave on the rest of the council to restore these programs.
6:56:46
Thank you very much.