FOOD WASTE INTO PRODUCTIVE COMPOST: WE EAT; RECYCLE OUR LEFT OVERS AND ALL THINGS THRIVE

For our show on Monday March 21st, host Terri Wilke speaks with Jamie Hofling, Food Waste Reduction Specialist within the Lawrence-Douglas County Sustainability Office and Umut Bayramoglu, newly hired Program Manager for Common Ground, the community gardening program in Lawrence Kansas.

https://www.douglascountyks.org/depts/sustainability

https://lawrenceks.org/common-ground/

Sustainability means balancing the needs of the economy, environment, and society. Together, we can create a vibrant economy, a healthy environment, and a livable society – today and into the future.

Douglas County has been working with a handful of partners to expand its food recovery on farms to help county agencies that provide food and shelter to residents.  The Lawrence-Douglas County Sustainability Office has teamed up with After the Harvest, a rescue nonprofit based in Kansas City, and Community Organized Gleaners, a grassroots volunteer group of experienced farmers, in order to expand food recovery on farms in Douglas Co.

https://aftertheharvestkc.org/home/contact-us/

https://www.facebook.com/communityorganizedgleaninglfk/

More recently, a small-scale food waste diversion program was added to the mix.   Now, Jamie’s job is to assure edible food gets to hungry people and to turn inedible food waste into compost so that more fresh food can be grown.  This cycle of eating and growing keeps everyone healthy and well fed, especially if residents are actively involved.

Common Ground is a community gardening and urban agriculture program established by the City of Lawrence Kansas in 2012. The City leases under-utilized properties to residents for free or at a very low cost, eliminating land ownership as a barrier to accessing gardening and fresh-grown produce.

The values of the Common Ground Program are:

  • Promoting access to fresh and locally grown food for all residents of Douglas County
  • Gardens and green spaces are beneficial and necessary to sustain a healthy urban ecosystem
  • Gardens build community

https://kccg.org/kccg-programs/

We at EcoRadio KC are glad to encourage awareness and protection of our world.  Our goal is to assure our listeners are aware of how we can create a sustainable present for a sustainable future!

This will be a great radio hour!  We hope you can tune in!

https://kkfi.org/listen/


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