From Scraps to Soil: My Experience with #London’s #UrbanComposting Movement

by Kim, April 25, 2024

"Amidst London’s bustling streets, a quiet revolution is taking root that’s transforming #KitchenScraps into rich, life-giving soil. It’s the urban composting movement, and it’s changing the way we think about waste. Here’s my journey into the world of composting in the heart of our city.

The Spark of Interest

My curiosity about composting began on a visit to Hackney City Farm, a little oasis of sustainability in the urban jungle. I was struck by the simplicity and effectiveness of turning everyday waste into a resource that supports more green spaces in London. This visit sparked a deep interest in me starting my own composting practice and understanding its impact on our environment.

Setting Up My Urban Compost

Starting was easier than I thought. I live in a flat in Islington with no garden, but I discovered that composting doesn’t require a lot of space. I opted for a small, sealed compost bin that fits neatly on my balcony. Seeing how my daily coffee grounds, vegetable peels, and eggshells could contribute to something so beneficial was fascinating.

The process involved balancing ‘greens’ like vegetable scraps, which add moisture and nitrogen, with ‘browns’ like dried leaves and paper, which add carbon. This balance speeds up decomposition and prevents the compost from smelling—essential in a flat! "

Learn more:
https://www.ecowasteandrecycling.org/from-scraps-to-soil-my-experience-with-londons-urban-composting-movement/

#SolarPunkSunday #SoilIsLife #GarbageToGarden #Composting

#RockportME - KLSWCD Booth at #RockportLibrary’s #SeedFest

Saturday, April 11, 2026
9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Rockport Public Library (lower level)
1 Limerock Street
Rockport, ME, 04856 United States

"Join #KnoxLincoln SWCD at the The #RockportPublicLibrary’s second annual SEED FEST on Saturday, April 11. This free, family-friendly event will take place on the upper and lower levels of the library. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., visitors can browse educational exhibits and activities covering #SeedStarting, #pollinators, #SoilHealth, #composting, #nativePlants, #HeirloomVegetables, growing #rice and grains in #Maine, #Wabanaki #FoodSovereignty, and much more! Knox-Lincoln SWCD will provide test kits and other information to help visitors better comprehend and work with the soil at their homes."

https://www.knox-lincoln.org/events-workshops/seed-fest-2026

#SolarPunkSunday #BuildingCommunity
#GrowYourOwnFood #GYO #IndigenousFoodSovereignty
#LibrariesRule #MaineEvents #WabanakiFoodSovereignty #SoilIsLife

#Africa - #Rewilding To Restore #Ecosystems

Restoring #ecosystems to benefit #wildlife and human communities

"Rewilding is the large-scale restoration of ecosystems to a point where nature can take care of itself. This approach aims to reinstate natural processes and, where appropriate, responsibly reintroduce ‘extirpated’ (meaning locally extinct) species. These key species are not only crucial to shaping their landscapes and habitats, but also provide essential ecosystem services.

"In Africa, human activities such as #agriculture, #urbanisation, and #deforestation have significantly altered natural landscapes, leading to habitat loss and species decline. African Parks and its partners seek to reverse these trends by reintroducing keystone species – in other words, species that play critical roles in maintaining the structure and function of these ecosystems. Such rewilding efforts also address the urgent need to mitigate climate change. Intact and fully-functioning ecosystems, such as forests and wetlands, act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and helping to regulate the global climate. Additionally, rewilding can enhance ecosystem services such as water purification, soil fertility, and #pollination, which are essential for human wellbeing."

Learn more:
https://www.africanparks.org/rewilding-restore-ecosystems

#SolarPunkSunday #Adaptation #ForestRehabilitation #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #Reforestation #NatureBasedSolutions

How #LandRestoration is strengthening #ecosystems and #communities across #Africa

June 16, 2025

"Across Africa, land degradation and #ClimateChange are converging to create a growing crisis. Unsustainable land use, #deforestation and #SoilErosion have left millions of hectares barren, stripping communities of the natural resources they rely on. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change – shifting rainfall patterns, rising temperatures and more frequent #droughts and #floods – are compounding pressures on #agriculture and water resources.

"Today, an estimated 65 percent of Africa's land is impacted by land degradation and drought, affecting more than 400 million people and causing economic losses exceeding US$70 billion each year.

"Governments across the continent are increasingly prioritizing land restoration as a national and regional imperative by pioneering policies, partnerships and investments to reverse degradation and strengthen #ClimateChangeAdaptation and #resilience. This brings tangible benefits for both people and nature, helping to secure food systems, create economic opportunities and strengthen communities against #ClimateShocks.

With support from the Global Environment Facility’s Least Developed Countries Fund and UNDP, #Ethiopia, #Rwanda and #Senegal are transforming degraded landscapes into a source of stability and productivity, their experience offering a replicable model for other nations confronting similar challenges."

Learn more:
https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/how-land-restoration-strengthening-ecosystems-and-communities-across-africa

#SolarPunkSunday #FoodSecurity #Adaptation #TerraceGardening #ForestRehabilitation #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #Reforestation #NatureBasedSolution

#RockportME - 2nd Annual SEED FEST

April 11 @ 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM

"The #RockportPublicLibrary will host its second annual SEED FEST on Saturday, April 11. This free, family-friendly event will take place on the upper and lower levels of the library. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., visitors can browse educational exhibits and activities covering #SeedStarting, #pollinators, #SoilHealth, #Composting, #NativePlants, #HeirloomVegetables, growing #rice and #grains in #Maine, #Wabanaki #FoodSovereignty, and much more!

"At 12:30 p.m., Petra Page-Mann of #FruitionSeeds will deliver an interactive keynote presentation. Page-Mann and her nonprofit seed company are strong advocates of 'gift culture,' which involves giving away seeds to promote food cultivation and community building. This ethos aligns perfectly with the theme of SEED FEST.

"The event is generously sponsored by the Rockport Library Foundation and is organized in partnership with several organizations, listed alphabetically: Herbal Hummingbird Hub, Knox Lincoln County Beekeepers, Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District, Maine Grains and Maine Grain Alliance, Maine Heirloom Seed Network, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association [#MOFGA], #MaineRiceProject at Ararat Farms, #MerryspringNatureCenter, #Niweskok: From the Stars to Seeds, Roots n Shoots, #UMaineCooperativeExtension, and #WildSeedProject.

"The exhibiting partners will provide valuable information, hands-on activities, items for sale, and an abundance of free seeds and seedlings. Additionally, #midcoast artist Katharine Cartwright’s beautiful #BotanicalPaintings will be showcased in the library’s lower level for a month-long exhibition titled 'In My Garden.' "

FMI:
https://www.rockportlibrary.net/event/2nd-annual-seed-fest/

#SolarPunkSunday #BuildingCommunity #GrowYourOwnFood #GYO #IndigenousFoodSovereignty #FoodSovereignty #LibrariesRule #SeedFest #WabanakiFoodSovereignty #SoilIsLife

No surprise. #ChelliePingree voted against HR556, #JaredGolden voted for it.

Protect #Wildlife from Toxic #LeadAmmunition [and #FishingTackle]

"#HR556, a bill to prevent federal agencies from prohibiting or regulating the use of toxic lead ammunition and fishing tackle on certain public lands and waters, passed the House of Representatives on March 18. However, we are not done fighting this bill! Lead ammunition is a well-documented threat, leading to illness and death for millions of birds and other wild animals each year. Since there is no safe level for lead exposure, hunters, anglers, and their families can also be harmed. Please contact your US representative about their vote on H.R. 556 and urge your senators to oppose this bill."

https://awionline.org/action-center#/535

Bill Status and details:

H.R.556 — 119th Congress (2025-2026)

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025

"This bill bars the Fish and Wildlife Service (#FWS), the Bureau of Land Management (#BLM), and the Forest Service from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the FWS, the BLM, or the Forest Service determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations."

House Roll Call Vote 93 119th Congress - 2nd Session (2026)

Passed - Yea: 215 | Nay: 202
(R 208-1 Pres=0 NV=9, D 7-201 Pres=0 NV=6, I 0-0 Pres=0 NV=0)

Full voting roster:
https://www.congress.gov/votes/house/119-2/93

#USPol #MainePol #ProtectWildlife #ProtectNature #LeadPoisoning #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #NatureIsLife

#JuniperRidge Landfill can expand, state says again after judge orders reconsideration

by Marie Weidmayer, March 23, 2026

Excerpt: "The Juniper Ridge Landfill can expand, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection decided for a second time — but a judge must sign off first.

"A new public benefit determination allows the #OldTown landfill to expand, the #ConservationLawFoundation said Monday. The foundation and #PenobscotNation sued the #MaineDEP in November 2024 over the proposed expansion.

"The department had to reconsider allowing the expansion after a judge ruled in January that the Maine DEP did not complete 'critical' fact finding during the public benefit determination. The Maine DEP decided Oct. 2, 2024, there is a public benefit to the expansion and expanding the landfill is not inconsistent with #EnvironmentalJustice.

"Penobscot County Superior Court Judge Bruce Mallonee will reconsider the application because the case is still pending, Maine DEP spokesperson David Madore said. The department can resume processing the expansion application and will have a public hearing, he said.

" 'This decision does not reflect the lived reality of our people,' Penobscot Nation Chief #KirkFrancis said. “Our voices and our knowledge of this place must be meaningfully considered when those in power make decisions that will impact our land and community.'

"The lawsuit is still pending in Penobscot County Superior Court. The foundation and Penobscot Nation are determining next steps."

Read more:
https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/03/23/penobscot/penobscot-police-courts/landfill-expansion-juniper-ridge/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/8dI8S

#MainePol #CasellaWasteSystems #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #PFAS #MaineFirstNations #Pollution #ForeverChemicals

#MaineDEP #Sustainability program - #HomeComposting

"What is composting?

Compost is a dark brown, earthy, crumbly material made of decomposed organic matter.

Benefits of Composted Material

When added to soil, compost improves soil porosity and water retention, and provides plants with essential nutrients.

Composting diverts organic materials from the waste stream and our landfills!

How does Material Decompose? Millions of microorganisms work to break down organic material. We can speed up composting by managing the process.
How do I start a compost pile?

Start by picking a location. Look for an area that is:

- Well -drained and close to level
- In partial shade, to help with water retention
- At least 1 -foot away from walls, fences, bushes, trees etc.
- A convenient spot to place materials and to get the end product to its final location

What tools will I need?

These tools may help get you started:

- Compost bin
- Pitchfork (compost turner)
- Chipper/shredder
- Wheelbarrow (for transport)
- Garden hose
- 4’ X 12’ Sturdy coated wire mesh (to form cylinder to contain compost pile, if desired)"

Learn more:
https://www.maine.gov/dep/sustainability/compost/home-composting.html

#SolarPunkSunday #Composting #Compost #HomeCompost #SoilIsLife #ReduceFoodWaste

#RocklandME - #KnoxLincolnSoilAndWaterConservationDistrict

Annual Bin and Barrel Sale

Featuring #EarthMachine #Composters and Systern #Rainbarrels

Note: The Systern Rainbarrels are made from thinner plastic than some rainbarrels and definitely need to be stored when the weather gets cold -- or else they will crack!

https://www.knox-lincoln.org/shop/bin-barrel-sale

#SolarPunkSunday #BackyardComposters #RainwaterCollection #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #Compost

#NapervilleIL - #TheConservationFoundation
#RainBarrels & #Composters

"One simple, efficient, low-cost method to reduce the amount of #StormwaterRunoff from your property is to use rain barrels. Estimates indicate that a quarter-inch of rain falling on an average home yields over 200 gallons of water. Rain barrels are simply large containers that help conserve stormwater from your roof that would otherwise be lost as runoff. Modern rain barrels are sealed, safe around children and insect resistant – they can even be painted or decorated to your liking. You can divert water from your downspout to fill your rain barrel and a hose spigot on the front makes the water easy to access and use.

The Conservation Foundation sells rain barrels, also known as #WaterBarrels, year-round through our partnership with Upcycle Products, Inc. Our 55-gallon rain barrels are made of recycled food-grade plastic, come in a variety of colors and can be purchased for $72.00 (plus tax) for pick-up at #McDonaldFarm in Naperville.

Composters

When we compost our #KitchenScraps and #YardWaste we reduce the amount of material going to the #landfills and instead return nutrients to the #soil. The many benefits of #composting include reducing the amount of material going to landfills and adding organic matter to our #garden beds. This improves soil structure and texture, increases the soil’s ability to hold both water and air, improves soil fertility, and stimulates healthy root development in plants. And it saves you money so you don’t have to buy chemical fertilizers!

Upcycle compost bins (stationary and tumbling) are the same size as the 55 gallon rain barrel, approximately 2 ft by 3.5 ft (the base of the tumbling composter requires a 3 x 4 ft area). The bins are re-purposed BPA-free food grade plastic barrels."

FMI and to order:
https://theconservationfoundation.org/conservation-home/rain-barrels/

#SolarPunkSunday #Illinois #Composters #RainwaterCollection #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife