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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1995)
EARTH DAY Composting program helps campus Composting it just mokes sense That's what Univer stty groundskeepers John Anthony and Rickie Btrran te8 peo pte when they talk about the plot turned professional composting program they developed three years ago on campus It takes mmutes and saves a tot o( time and money," Anthony sato "And besides, the ptants like it just as good and we can use it more generously.' This "generosity to the plants" is actually yard waste collect*.to from plants and turf around campus that has been converted into organic compost and reintroduced to the soil — thanks to an innovative composting program that is now m full motion. Currently, all leaves, branches, twigs and other yard debris col lected on campus that is suitable tor compost is transported to the Physical Plant and placed into piles. Once the piles are large enough, they are spread into sep arate berms and "turned" three times periodically to mechanically break down materials in the soil Once the pies are broken down, they are assessed by Anthony and Ekrran and moved to a finished pie where other groundskeepers pck up the finished compost for use back on campus "We used to have to go get this same material off-site and it was very expensive and time-consum ing," Anthony said. “This process takes minutes and saves a lot of lime and money because before this, we had to take all the yard waste straight to the landfills.” The entire composting process for each pie takes between four to eight months for completion, depending on thn season, weath er and how much time Anthony and Birran can devote to it whom they aren't oft doing other duties tor the Physical Plant Tim King, campus and grounds supervisor, estimates that by uti luring the composted yard waste instead of purchasing the same material horn olt-campus pro cessing centers, their composting program is saving the University about S/.54& annually "We haven't had to buy any thing." King said, "but we do have to spend time on manual screen ing But at this point, it wouldn't tv: economically feasible to purchase any screening machinery “ Anthony and Birran now have to remove any debris, large sticks and other non degradable mater ial manually from the yard waste that is brought into the Physical Plant, yet they both say the fin ished product is worth the effort We have a finished product that we re putting to good use that makes a great soil amendment and can be used as a top dress ing lor (lower tvxjs around campus everywhere,* Anthony said "It's a learning time too,* Birran added “John is teaching me a lot and we learn as we go It's pretty rewarding “ The finished composted mate rial they produce is being utilized throughout the campus as a pro plant soil amendment for trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials bulbs, as well as topdressing around (ibrous rooted plants such as terns and rhododendron King said he believes the plants are responding more favorably than with previously used com mercial products, which reduces LANDFILL COSTS A record of the exist to processes the yard debris created by the main campus area (about 230 arcesi YEAR ANNUAL COST - I960 Free 1980-89 $2320 196^93 3916 1993 - 6945 Starting 3/95 6815 Net Annual savings trom (he Composting Program is protected at S/545 SOURCf Pnyvfw Piam i Mi HA the need tor commercial fertilizers and improves soil structure and drainage, enhances root develop ment. reduces fertilizer leaching and increases summer drought lot erance “It's pretty amazing what we do with jus! two people doing every thing." King said "All that we've done we've figured out on our own, although Karyn Kaplan has worked with us and has been a tremen dous help." Kaplan, who is the University's recycling program manager, said she's more than pleased with the compost program's success her sell “I'm thrilled to pieces with the progress we've made and it has kept a lot out ot landtills." she said "We're even ahead of the game because yard material is usually one ot the last items to be recy clod" /.(in Betttneski THE BOOK FAIR Helping to preserve trees since 1966. /&> “Browser’s Paradise" /<§y Natural Cookery • Mystery nAJs. /<£y Auto Repair Books • Sci-fi /j&y Used books tor every interest and age 1409 Oak St. 343-3033 Open Won-Thors 10 00-5 30 Fn Fv« unlrl 7 00 * Sat 10 00-5 00 ■ Recycle 2£ 2® RIDE YOUR BIKE. PAUL'S Bicycle Way of Life SALES - SERVICE - BIKE RENTAL ACCESSORIES . CLOIHING (UNSOLICITED ADVICE, POUIKAL OPINIONS. EEC.) 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April 22. at V alloy River Con tor The gARTbage show celebrates the creativity ot artists and highlights the potential ol recycled materials The show is an all comers, non juried event It 19 sponsored by the St Vincent dePaul Society ol Lane County and other local businesses All ol the art displayed must be made ol at least 90 percent recycled items Last year's show included more than 100 student, amateur and professional entries Prize winners participated m the Eugene Cel ebratton and the Oregon Association ol Recyclers Convention Winning entries included a (wipier -macho dragon. .1 t*>wl m.i<|e ol window pane glass, and a large welded sculpture by an Elmira student Winners trom this year's show will have the opportunity to dis play their ad at the St Vincent dePaul Society's Western Region at Convention this summer Great Futons Unbeata Prices k»/t\ M. 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