Quick Fact:

Food decomposes by itself in nature.  However, it is one of the largest components in landfills, accounting for nearly 50% of all municipal solid waste.  There is more food in landfills than diapers, styrofoam, and tires - combined!   

Composting food waste not only keeps nutrient rich food scraps and other organic materials, such as yard and animal waste, out of the landfill, it also creates a valuable soil amendment and supports the local economy.  

Source  

Students composting at Buffalo Mountain School 

CVSWMD is dedicated to helping our member towns reduce waste. A big part of the Zero Waste solution is keeping food waste out of our landfill!  

We run one of the most successful School and Business Composting Programs in the country and have diverted over 8.5 million pounds of food waste since 2004! 

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Our April Zero Hero

Tom Sabo   

Science Teacher, Montpelier High School 

Our April 2011 Zero Hero is Tom Sabo, science teacher and adviser of the EarthGroup at Montpelier High School!  This teacher and Central Vermont resident has been a long-time proponent of CVSWMD's Zero Waste goals and programming; we discussed his interest in composting and environmental conservation and his work with CVSWMD in the school setting.

Tom and his students started composting even before CVSWMD's School Composting Program began, in part because of Tom's concerns about species extinction due to habitat loss and his personal passion for a healthy environment. Thanks in large part to his work, the school has an active greenhouse and garden space and students learn each about the food loop, from composting food scraps to planting and saving seeds, to harvest and preparation for serving in the cafeteria. Tom told me that many former students have contacted him about setting up composting programs at their new schools, such as Brown University, when they discover no such program exists...they simply cannot bear to throw all those food scraps in the trash!  

Tom invites students to participate without being negative in his approach. He listens to learn why some students don't compost and works with students to help them understand the social, economic, and environmental aspects of human behavior and decision-making.

Tom described working with CVSWMD as very beneficial. We provide basic infrastructure for the school's composting efforts, haul the food scraps to a local composting facility, provide staff support, grants, resources and facilitate relationships and joint projects.

CVSWMD applauds Tom's lifelong commitment to a healthier environment and a more beautiful Central Vermont and support his ongoing work in the school and community. With the help of passionate people like Tom and his students, we continue to move toward a Zero Waste future in Central Vermont.  

Thanks, Tom!  

You're a true Zero Hero!  

(Article written by Marian Miller, PR & Outreach Coordinator)

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  Vermont Company Creates Zero Waste Moves! 

Vermont moving company Greenbox is helping residents and businesses in Addison and Chittendon Counties make moves within that territory without the waste usually associated with cardboard boxes and packing materials. Owner Ian Degalan aims to take a percentage of the nearly 25,00 local moves taking place each year in those counties as a step towards reducing the impact of such moves on the waste stream and environment. The company delivers reusable crates for your move then picks them up after you've finished!   

According to the company's website, "the typical residential move uses approximately 85 lbs of cardboard, which in aggregate amounts to about 2 million lbs of cardboard per year!" Furthermore, any cardboard that is not recycled makes up more than 40% of the composition of landfills and 40% of every box you recycle cannot be reused and ends up as paper sludge in the landfill. 

To learn more about VT based Greenbox, which plans to expand  to Franklin County, visit their website at www.vtgreenbox.com. 

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National News    

RecycleMatch Brings Buyers and Sellers of Recyclables Together  

As the first online company to offer this type of service, RecycleMatch provides a marketplace for waste and recyclables commodities. Materials can be sold, bought or exchanged for free. So far, the company claims to have diverted well over 4 million pounds of plastics, textiles, paper, rubber, metals and more from the landfill!  

Visit their websitewww.recyclematch.com/ 

to learn more.

Proper Disposal of Batteries: Summit Brings Battery Manufacturers Together for Zero Waste Solutions 

International Compost Awareness Week May 1-7, 2011 

 School Updates  

Union Elementary 4th Graders Tour Composting Facilities and Landfill   

On Friday April 8^th CVSWMD School Zero Waste Coordinator, Gwen Lyons-Baker and Public Relations & Outreach Coordinator Marian Miller accompanied Mrs. Pierce's 4^th grade class on an all- day field trip to two local commercial composting facilities and the Moretown landfill.   

The field trip began at Vermont Compost Company in Montpelier. As the students toured the composting facility, they learned what happens to their food scraps after CVSWMD hauls them away from the school and tips them at VT Compost. The students loved watching the chickens eat at the food scraps and watching an employee collect eggs inside the chicken nesting house.

After lunch, the group moved on to the Moretown Landfill. There, General Manager Tom Badowski gave the class a tour of the unloading area where residents can drop off their trash and recycling. The landfill also has a place for people to drop off clothing and shoes, used oil, old refrigerators and electronics. Mr. Badowski told the students that he really wants Vermonters to divert as much waste as possible though recycling and reuse because at the rate the landfill currently receives trash, the landfill will be full in 2 years! Mr. Badowski also said  a lot of what is being thrown away is paper and cardboard, both of which can be recycled.

Moretown Landfill 2011 

After the landfill, the group went next door to Grow Compost of Vermont, a facility that also receives food scraps hauled by CVSWMD. Owner Lisa Ransom taught students how their food scraps are turned into soil and emphasized the importance of keeping the food scrap buckets free of non-organic materials. Lisa told the kids that she was impressed at how clean the food scraps from the schools usually are and how much she appreciates not having to pick out trash.

In May, these 4th graders, who are in charge of collecting each classroom's recyclables, will tour the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Williston to see what happens to all the recycling once it is collected from the school. School Zero Waste Coordinator, Gwen Lyons-Baker is working with each class to teach about items that should and should not be recycled.

Program Updates

Calling all residents and business owners! It's time to start your spring cleaning, and making sure you dispose of all your waste properly is the key to making it a real clean-up! Cleaning under the kitchen sink? Replace all those toxic cleaners with homemade safe ones and put them in a box to take to a collection! Finally organizing that scary garage?! Pull all those old chemicals, used oil, gas and other poisonous wastes out and load them in the car with the stuff from under the sink! Finally ready to toss that old console TV from 1973? Bring that and everything else to a collection near you!

Cost is $15 for most residential car loads. Some electronics have additional fees.   

*See the full collection events schedule.  

First scheduled collection

May 14 in Montpelier (Main Parking Lot at National Life) and you may bring Electronics, Textiles & Books. We will also be selling Green Cones and Soilsaver Composters at this event. See below for more information or call Gwen Lyons-Baker at 802.229.9383.  

*Business owners: Use our hazardous waste collections and save money! You'll get a better rate than if you contract independently for disposal.  

Call Mia Roethlein  for more: 800.730.9475 x 106.

*Schools: Now is the time to assess the products you use in your school. Several schools in our district now use only non-toxic cleaning products and our Zero Waste Coordinator can help you figure out how to do the same. Call Gwen Lyons-Baker for more:  800.730.9475 x 111.

Legislative Updates 

Mercury Lamp Management Continued! 

S 34 addresses the collection and disposal of mercury containing lamps.  It provides sustainable funding for collection programs in VT.  It requires manufacturers of mercury containing lamps to share the cost  and responsibility of collecting and recycling their products at the end of their useful life.  

S 34 will: 

• provide year round free collection and recycling of mercury containing lamps to small businesses and residents without any additional fee at the point of sale
• fund all municipal and retail collection programs
• provide education to consumers
• ensure that collection occurs in an environmentally sound fashion
• prohibit sales of mercury containing lamps in VT by manufacturers who do not comply 

At the time of writing this newsletter S.34 has passed the Senate and is now currently in the House Fish and Wildlife Committee. For the entire bill in its current state please see: Link to bill 

Community Connections 

This program is a partnership of U32 Technology and Community Connections. The goal is to remove computers and electronics from the waste stream and provide free computers to those in the community who need them. Participants also repair computers.

Bill Merrylees

Assistant Director

Community Connections

802-223-3456

Local Swaps 

Central Vermont is blessed with numerous locally organized swaps! A few that are coming up are:

Onion River Sports Annual Bike Swap:  

May 7th 

ORS, 20 Langdon St, Montpelier  

*Call 802.229.9409 for details 

Hardwick Clothing Drop-n-Swap:  

May 22nd  

noon

Centennial Bldg, New Room to Move Space, Hardwick, VT 

If you are aware of other upcoming reuse events, please call 800.730.9475 x 102 to let us know!

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CVSWMD Notes

Soilsaver Classic Composters are finally here!

Stop by our office to check out these fantastic composting units! These are for sale to in-district residents for the ultra-low price of $47 and to out-of-district Vermonters for the still low price of $75. You can visit our website to learn more about these long-lasting units and to find out if you live in a member town. 

Town Representatives Needed!  

We still need Board Representatives from the following member towns: Plainfield, Tunbridge, Washington, and Williamstown. If you or someone you know would be interested in helping to guide the organization's work, let us know! 

Please contact us at 802.229.9383 or at administration@cvswmd.org for more information.  

Community Member Needed for Commitee

We are looking for a community member to join our Lawrence Walbridge Reuse Grants Committee. If you are interested or want to learn more, please contact Gwen Lyons-Baker at 802.229.9383 ext. 111

Green Cones for Sale at the District Office  We love these things!  They're a great way to keep food scraps, including bones and other items not usually composted, out of the landfill. To purchase a Green Cone, email Gwen Lyons-Baker or call the office (802.229.9383 ext.111).

• PLEASE NOTE: We have 34 Green cones left for sale at the old price of $72.50 (including VT sales tax) which can be paid for with cash or a check; receipts are available.Once these are gone, Green Cones will cost $99 for in-district residents and $120 for out-of-district residents! Stock up now!! 
• Pickup is at CVSWMD at 137 Barre Street, Montpelier. Please be sure you speak with Gwen prior to stopping by to pick up a cone.

Contact Us     

Central Vermont Solid Waste  

Management District (CVSWMD)

137 Barre Street

Montpelier, VT 05602-3618     

802.229.9383
comments@cvswmd.org     

Staff

Leesa Stewart

General Manager x101
generalmanager@cvswmd.org  

Barb Baird

Administrative Coordinator/District Clerk x100

administration@cvswmd.org  

 Mia Roethlein

Program Manager x 106 

fieldprograms@cvswmd.org  

 Gwen Lyons-Baker

School Zero Waste Coordinator x 111

schoolcoordinator@cvswmd.org  

 Marian Miller

Public Relations & Outreach Coordinator x 102

marianm@cvswmd.org  

 Annette Martin
Bookkeeper x 104

finance@cvswmd.org

Bob Freeman

Driver

Ted Coles

Driver

Simon 

Senior Office Mascot
 

Rosie  

Junior Office Mascot

Devin

Off Site Mascot

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CVSWMD Board Members by City/Town

Barre City - Nancy Wolfe

Barre City alternate - Steve Micheli

Barre Town ­ - Fred Thumm

Barre Town alternate - Jack Mitchell

Berlin - Matt Levin

Bradford - Gerhard Postpischil

Calais - Bill Powell

Chelsea - Steve Gould

Chelsea alternate - Mark Lembke

East Montpelier - Ginny Callan

Hardwick - Paul Fixx

Marshfield - Vacant 

Middlesex - Anita Krauth

Montpelier - Mia Moore

Montpelier alternate - Andy Hooper

Orange - Lee Cattaneo

Plainfield - Vacant

Tunbridge - Vacant

Walden - Bryan Lynaugh

Washington - Vacant

Williamstown - Vacant

Woodbury - Dave Barnowski