Join SWEEP in recognizing International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) 2023, taking place from May 7th to 13th, to raise public awareness about the importance of composting and using compost. ICAW is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry, celebrated nationwide and in other countries each year during the first full week of May.
This year’s theme, “For Healthier Soil, Healthier Food…Compost!”, emphasizes the role of compost in addressing hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture. The theme aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Zero Hunger, and highlights how compost can help feed the world by creating healthier soils that produce healthier food and higher yields.
Composting benefits the environment and helps reduce food shortages by:
1. Decreasing the use of landfill space and incineration
2. Reducing methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas
3. Improving soil health and productivity, reducing the need for pesticides
4. Mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration in soil
5. Conserving and improving water quality and reducing soil erosion
In addition, consider enrolling in the “Community Composting 101” online course, developed by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) under its Neighborhood Soil Rebuilders Composter Training Program. This self-paced course covers the importance of composting, the science behind it, and best practices for implementing community-based programs. The course offers free enrollment for residents of states and tribal lands in the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast during ICAW 2023. Learn more here: membership page.
Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week 2023 and contribute to healthier soil and food by getting involved in composting and promoting its benefits in your comm