Eco Ed at Wood Library

Organization Name: Wood Library Association

Summary: The Library will create a new ecological education series including interactive hands-on classes.  The classes will teach subjects on ecology, waste management and composting.  Subject matter experts from Cornell Coop and local educational institutions will lead the programs.  The program will be free and open to the public.  Participants will construct vermicompost systems that they will be able to take home and put into use.  Additional classes will teach attendees how to construct natural habitats for use at their homes.  It is anticipated that 300+ community members will attend.

Agriculture in the Classroom Composting

Organization Name: Agriculture in the Classroom Steuben County

Summary: A series of programs will be conducted on sustainable farming, composting, waste reduction and recycling.    Students will learn about the biological and chemical processes involved in composting and how to assess moisture levels, temperature and odor.  Trouble-shooting lessons will be taught on over compaction, aeriation or imbalanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratios.  Students will learn to identify compostable materials leading to reuse and waste reduction.  The hands-on experience will teach practical uses for the finished compost materials that can be replicated at the household level.  It is anticipated that 500+ community members will attend.

The Compost Project

Organization Name: Webster Arboretum

Summary: The Webster Arboretum consists of 40 acres of designed landscape open to the public every day of the year.  Three educational workshops will be developed for the community designed to raise awareness of the benefits of composting and the environmental impact of this practice.  The purpose of this project is to develop a composting site at the Arboretum to compost weeds, grasses, branches and landscape debris; provide soil amendments to be used at the Arboretum; provide a demonstration compost model for the community; educate the community regarding good compost practices and benefits; promote composting in the home environment; and provide a contact person to assist composters in their home composting and respond personally to any questions that may arise. It is anticipated that 250+ community members will attend

Earth Day at Seneca Park Zoo

Organization Name: Seneca Park Zoo Society

Summary: Through the various guest engagements offered during the Earth Day event, Seneca Park Zoo and their community partners will raise awareness of the threats our environment faces and present ways in which they can be remedied. These threats and remedies will be presented during animal demonstrations, with different animals representing different threats including habitat loss, water pollution, climate change and human-animal conflict. Our community partners will provide hands-on activities for guests to learn about the impact they have on the environment and give them real solutions to take home with them to make a lasting impact right in their backyard. During Earth Day at Seneca Park Zoo, the activities and demonstrations offered will teach guests habits and behaviors that positively impact the environment: recycling, planting trees and pollinator gardens, identifying and remediating invasive species, cleaning up polluted green spaces, and more.