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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ellington White, Student from New York Harbor School, on Community Composting in New York City
2:30:52
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Ellington White, a student from New York Harbor School, testified about the importance of community composting in New York City and the need for better awareness and education about urban composting opportunities. She emphasized the misconceptions about composting in urban environments and the lack of knowledge about existing composting facilities.
- Highlighted the importance of continued funding for NYC community composting programs
- Called for increased advertising and public awareness about composting opportunities in the city
- Pointed out the difference between municipal composting (which converts waste to energy) and community composting (which actually produces compost)
High School Student
2:30:52
I'm Ellington White and I'm with the New York Harbor School.
2:30:55
City council members, thank you for funding the New York City community composting.
2:30:59
This money is extremely important and should be included again in the next budget.
2:31:04
However, are you aware that most people don't associate composting with the city?
2:31:08
Many individuals wrongly judge composting believing that it cannot be successful in an urban environment.
2:31:14
Since people are unaware of composting in urban areas, they aren't participating in the compost around them.
2:31:19
This means that a large portion of food waste is getting thrown in the trash and ending up in landfills instead of correctly getting composted.
2:31:27
Contrary to popular belief, there are many opportunities to compost in New York City.
2:31:31
You can drop food waste off at a farmer's market or even get it picked up through the BK Raw program.
2:31:36
Unfortunately, people have not been utilizing the accessibility of composting.
2:31:41
It's not out of laziness or carelessness, it's mainly because they don't know.
2:31:45
In order to fix the stereotyping of only suburban composting, you have to work on advertising where and how to compost.
2:31:51
A simple public announcement or a few posters could do so much to encourage people to compost.
2:31:56
So many community composting organizations around the city are working very hard to provide accessibility to composting and they deserve recognition.
2:32:05
The community compost drop off sites and organizations should be highlighted.
2:32:09
Once New Yorkers become aware of how convenient it is to compost, less food waste will be sent to landfills, making the environment better.
2:32:17
I've lived in Parksville, Brooklyn my life.
2:32:19
Not once in those fifteen years was I made aware that there is a drop off composting site around my neighborhood.
2:32:25
The 6 15 Green Community Garden is a public composting drop off site.
2:32:29
I've gone to the garden before since it's located by the middle school I went to.
2:32:34
Even after visiting the site myself, I didn't know it was a compost drop off site.
2:32:38
I'm sure this applies to many others in my community as well.
2:32:41
These sites must be made well known to inform people that they have the option of compost.
2:32:45
I feel guilty for having had this option of compost and not using it at all.
2:32:50
Another common misconception is that the waste from the municipal composting bins is Okay.
2:32:57
It is actually being turned into compost.
2:33:00
This is not true considering that it gets brought to facilities where it gets converted to energy, not compost.
2:33:05
Although the renewable energy is still eco friendly, it is not composting and shouldn't be labeled as.
2:33:10
Community composting is what is actually turning the waste to compost and should be known for that instead of municipal composting, which is an entirely different thing.
2:33:18
Many people think they're composting by adding their food waste to the brown bins around their neighborhood.
2:33:23
It is important that they become educated so that they can decide to use community composting, which is what they think they are using in the first place.
2:33:29
And then thank you again, I guess.