Most people have heard of the circle of life, but how many have questioned how the circle of life can be applied to the Gordon College campus? If you find yourself asking this question, look no further. The answer to this question is composting.
Alice Gould ‘25 and Shelby Markey ‘25, two leaders from the Advocates for a Sustainable Future Club, were interviewed on the topic of composting and shared new developments of composting solutions on campus.
They described composting as the act of “collecting used scraps to be used again after decomposing”. When compostable materials are collected, they decompose over time and turn into nutrient rich soil that can then be used to grow more life in the future. As you may know, most waste produced from cooking or leftover food can be composted. Food scraps, coffee grounds, raw meat, oils and fats can all be dumped straight into your composting containers. All things from cracked eggshells to fruits and vegetables, to flowers and bread—any other food products can be tossed into your containers as well.
Composting in Apartments
There are a few ways to participate in composting on campus. For those who live in apartments, composting can be done from the convenience of your own space. To do so, talk to your apartment coordinator and ask to submit a work request to start a personal compost bin. A short time later, you will be sent a contract for two people to sign, committing to taking care of the compost, emptying the bin out regularly, and not leaving it unattended over extended breaks. A composting kit will then be delivered to you, containing a bin, a lid, and compostable bags. If you run out of bags, you can request more; not a dime has to come out of your own pocket. Be certain to change the bags biweekly and drop off the full bags in the Bromley Recycling Center (the red shed at the side of the building off the Quad). Inside, there is a mass composting bin to collect personal compost donations. In addition to this recycling center, there are drop off locations on The Hill and behind the Lane Student Center for your convenience.
Composting in Dorms
If you are not in an apartment but would like to participate in composting, it’s easy! You are invited to compost within your own sealable containers in your dorm. When you are ready to empty your container, which should happen regularly, you can go to the same drop off areas previously mentioned.
Paper products and takeout containers that have food or oils on them, but do not contain a wax lining can be composted. Other containers and utensils may be able to be composted as well, refer to compost labels on the product packages to check. Like recycling labels on products, compostable products will tell you if you can add them to your containers.
Whether maintaining a personal compost bin or not, all students contribute to composting after eating at Lane. Food waste can be dumped into bins by the dish window labeled “food”, which is later collected for compost.
Composting is easier and more accessible than you may think. If you are interested in getting involved or have further questions, reach out A great resource to contact is the Advocates for a Sustainable Future (ASF) Club. They can be contacted via email at [email protected].
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