Compost Virtual Tour

Project 309

Named after its Location on 309 Pondfield Road in Bronxville, New York, this site is the result of a member of an SLC board of trustees member boldly stepping up declaring the need for a composting facility at Sarah Lawrence College. At this time composting at Sarah Lawrence College was not supported. Since then, the college has been much more receptive to the idea of composting and we have moved the bin to Sarah Lawrence College's campus at Warren Green house, a dorm house for students known for their leadership in the environmental movement at Sarah Lawrence College. 

At first I would use paper covered with food waste and water. Recycling facilities tend to separate paper and then sell it in large bales that subsequently get weighed and sold by weight. Because wet and food-waste soiled paper adds unneeded weight to the paper that recycling facilities are trying to sell, recycling facilities normally do not like wet and food waste stained paper. After all, no one wants to buy water, they want paper. For us composters though wet and dirty paper is perfect, saving one factor, shredding it is painstakingly time-consuming. This is why getting an industrial paper shredder will be necessary for scaling up. For now, I just settle with either shredding it by hand, or just using sawdust from the PAC (Performing Arts Center) wood shop or the art center wood shop. Shredding paper is essential as I found out the hard way, unless you don't mind horrible smells from non-aerated food waste.