Show Support For Return Of Roosevelt Island Food Scrap Composting - Local Advocates Urge Residents To Take Action And Tell NYC Council Member Ben Kallos You Support Purchase Of Compost Machine For Roosevelt Island

As reported last week:

Roosevelt Islanders were very happy with the return of our Saturday Farmers Market to Good Shepherd Plaza last week. But, many were disappointed that the Roosevelt Island Grow NYC Food Scrap Drop Off Collection Bin

did not return as well due to NYC Coronavirus Budget cuts. According to the NYC Department of Sanitation:

In the face of economic hardship, and to ensure the City can continue to devote resources to essential safety, health, and shelter, and food security needs, the New York City Department of Sanitation announced the suspension of the curbside composting program, beginning May 4, 2020. During the suspension, any food scraps and yard waste set out for composting will be collected as trash. The suspension is currently planned through June 30, 2021...

and:

Efforts are being made to bring food scrap composting back to Roosevelt Island and you can help...

According to Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos:

At a time when composting has been put on the back burner by the City due to budget constraints resulting from Covid-19. I think Roosevelt Island has an opportunity to become a bastion for composting and an example of a community that's always doing the right things for the environment. Since this year's Participatory Budgeting cycle was canceled I would like to see even more support from Roosevelt Islanders for this initiative. There has to be a groundswell of support for such a project. Anyone who is interested in supporting of the composting machine should email my office at BKallos@benkallos.com

Roosevelt Island resident and iDig2Learn Founder Christina Delfico reports:

Just before the virus hit, Roosevelt Island was primed and ready to get a composting system to supplement ongoing efforts. The Island actually won a single island ballot item - Composting for Roosevelt Island - on the 2020 Participatory Budget ballot just before that program was cancelled. However, the City Budget will be decided June 1st and Roosevelt Islanders can still get a composting machine here to supplement ongoing efforts.

Roosevelt Islanders have already diverted over 133,000 pounds of food scraps from landfill. This machine helps expedite processing food scraps into compost and will supplement our local composting efforts, now more than ever, we need this. 

Roosevelt Island Can Still Have Food Scrap Composting - Act Now!

Call to Action for Tuesday, May 26th to Friday, May 29th - Roosevelt Islanders please take a moment to write to City Council Member Ben Kallos to thank him for supporting composting on Roosevelt Island and ask him to fund a Composter for Roosevelt Island.

Write to: BKallos@benkallos.com

In addition to writing to City Council Member Kallos, Islanders can fill out this RI Compost interest form created to build up a compost collective on Roosevelt Island.

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal supports local composting efforts. According to Ms Rosenthal:

RIOC has always supported smart, sustainable practices that are good for the environment, Composting is a wonderful way to reduce food waste while helping the environment and our community.

Advocates for Roosevelt Island composting include resident and former Grow NYC Compost Coordinator Danika Lam:

Composting is essential. Not only does the finished product rejuvenate our soils and contribute to the ecological systems that give us life, it also prevents 34% of NYC’s residential waste stream from ending up in landfills where organic matter emits greenhouse gases that exacerbate climate change.

It is the City’s responsibility to its constituents to uphold the sustainability goals it set out for itself in One New York, including Zero Waste to landfills by 2030. New York may be on pause, but climate change is not. Climate change remains a crisis that must be addressed and composting is a priority.

Roosevelt Island Girl Scout Troops 3001 and 3244 Leader Aiesha Eleusizov:

This one-time purchase not only helps save the environment, but will also save money! We save money and greenhouse gasses by not trucking huge amounts of organic matter to the landfill. The rich compost created will save more money by no longer needing to buy and truck fertilizer onto Roosevelt Island to feed our beautiful natural areas!

Local resident and artist Karen Lee:

Farmers know how critical regenerating the soil is to grow food, and the public at large is becoming more aware of how important composting is for our environment and our health. When you compost you are saving manpower, petroleum, and money.

Local resident and community gardener Julia Ferguson:

Composting brings people and our earth together. We have seen this first hand on Roosevelt Island and in the community gardens. The more resources we have to allow us to compost locally, the better!

and Green Roosevelt Island Neighbors (GRIN) Anthony Longo

Imagine you suddenly find yourself in possession of a gift. Something of value. Something that can help create and sustain new life. Something that can be used to nourish hungry people. A thing that has the power to heal the earth and protect our planet. Now...What if someone Told you to Pay them to Take that gift from you so that they can use it to Poison the earth.

Organic matter is a Resource not refuse. Now more than ever we need to keep it close and use it properly. We can do that. We are doing that. But we all need to do better.

Here's video showing how the composting machine works.



If you want the return of composting to Roosevelt Island, let NYC Council Member Ben Kallos know and take the Roosevelt Island Compost Form Survey.