NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. — If you are a Middlesex County resident who is concerned about the environment, now is the time to learn how to reduce waste and improve soil, all in your own backyard.
Upcoming workshops will show residents how to cut down on trash and create a natural gardening resource by using yard waste and kitchen scraps as compost.
Two free composting seminars are scheduled to be held at the Middlesex County EARTH Center in Davidson’s Mill Pond Park, 42 Riva Ave., South Brunswick. Classes run about two hours and feature an overview and explanation of two composting techniques:
- Backyard Composting: 10 a.m. on April 15
- Vermi-Composting (using worms): 6:30 p.m. on April 18
To register for these free workshops, please call the Middlesex County Division of Solid Waste Management at 732-745-4170 or email solidwaste@co.middlesex.nj.us.
Workshop attendees may also pick up pre-purchased compost bins at the workshops. Call the Division of Solid Waste before the workshop for a list of available compost bins.
The backyard composting seminar will introduce the basics of collecting kitchen scraps and yard waste in a compost bin, and allowing the natural breakdown to create compost, an earthy, soil-like material.
If you do not have a yard of your own, you can still learn about composting and benefit from it at the second workshop, which teaches vermi-composting. In this process, the breakdown of waste is performed by worms in a plastic container.
“I encourage residents to attend one of these informative workshops,” said Freeholder Kenneth Armwood, Chair of the County’s Business Development and Education Committee. “We are all proud of Middlesex County’s natural beauty and resources. Today’s efforts to conserve will ensure Middlesex County’s environmental legacy.”
“The EARTH Center offers a host of environmental services to the County, including workshops like these,” said Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios. “These workshops present simple but very effective ways to help residents eliminate waste while creating a resource that gives back to the environment.”
For more information on programs offered by the Middlesex County’s Cooperative Extension, call 732-398-5260.
— Rutgers Cooperative Extension