TESTIMONY
Jane Selden, Committee Chair on Waste Reduction at 350 NYC, on the Importance of Community Composting Programs for Ensuring the Success of Mandatory Citywide Curbside Composting in New York City
7:18:43
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150 sec
Jane Selden, Committee Chair on Waste Reduction at climate activist group 350 NYC, urges the Adams Administration to fully fund community composting programs in the FY2025 budget and allow Big Reuse to continue operating its Queensbridge composting site.
- She emphasizes the vital educational role these programs play in fostering awareness and participation in organics recycling among New Yorkers.
- Selden stresses that simply passing the mandatory citywide curbside composting bill is not enough without widespread community engagement.
- She criticizes the city's decision to cut funding for programs crucial to the law's implementation success.
- Selden highlights the contradiction in not supporting initiatives that enable the mandatory composting law, advocating for continued investment.
Jane Selden
7:18:43
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today.
7:18:46
My name is Jane Salden, and I chair a committee on waste reduction at the climate activist group 350 NYC.
7:18:53
Recognizing the vital role New York City's community composting programs play in educating New Yorkers about the benefits of organics recycling.
7:19:02
We urge the Adams Administration to fully fund these programs in the FY20 5 budget and to permit big reuse to continue operating its highly successful Queensbridge composting site.
7:19:14
Passage of the mandatory city wide curbside composting bill last year was a major achievement.
7:19:20
However, simply passing this bill is not enough.
7:19:23
Ensuring widespread participation will require many New Yorkers to develop new habits and a new level of awareness regarding waste disposal.
7:19:32
People will need to know not only the nuts and bolts of source separation, but understand and appreciate its value.
7:19:38
This is where the educational outreach and hands on community engagement provided by community composting programs plays an essential role.
7:19:46
As a retired educator, I know how important it is not just to relay information, but to listen to questions and address concerns.
7:19:55
Flyer slipped under the door and PSAs on social media are no substitute for a one on one conversation with a community composter at a farmers market.
7:20:05
Why is the city cutting funding for the very programs that are key to making the mandatory curbside organics recycling program a success, it makes no sense.
7:20:14
Equally baffling is the Park department's decision to evict big reuse from its award winning Queensbridge site, where for the last 10 years it has combined leaves and yard waste from city parks with food waste of community food drop off sites to create soil enriching compost, which it provides to the Parks department for free.
7:20:33
Instead of shutting down this site, the city should continue its mutually beneficial relationship with Big reuse and fund more local composting programs like it to reduce transportation emissions and produce high quality compost not biogas.
7:20:51
At a previous DSNY hearing, deputy commissioner Joshua Goodman praised the work of community organizations.
7:20:59
Referring to the mandatory curbside composting law, he said we would not be in a position to roll out this program if weren't for the work of community composters.
7:21:08
Well, I would say that their work is far from over.
7:21:11
In fact, it's needed now more than ever.
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Beth Slepian, Vice Chair of the Brooklyn Solid Waste Advisory Board, on Funding for Community Composting, Compost Sites, and Zero Waste School Programs
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Speaker on behalf of Marisa DeDominicis, Executive Director of Earth Matter NY, on the Impacts of Defunding Community Composting Programs and Education Efforts