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Company News / November, 2008
November, 2008
ENVIRONMENTAL ALERT!DESPITE COLD WEATHER, SCHOOLCHILDREN REPORT PART OF BERKS COUNTY TURNING GREEN
Phenomenon excites local interest and promises to turn trash into treasure
Reading, November 18 - The leaves may be turning red and gold, but local schoolchildren are reporting a strange occurrence they themselves seem to have brought about: Part of Berks County seems to be going green.
In an effort unique to our area, and perhaps the only such one on the East Coast, the children attending the local KidsPeace program in Reading are "going green" and helping the environment by creating an unusual project that uses worms to turn trash into…treasure.
Using a process called vermicomposting, the youngsters will be recycling paper, leftover food, and other materials into rich, dark compost, which can then be used in gardening. The campus has had a gardening program that for two years has been growing bumper crops of fresh vegetables, thanks to generous gifts from Lowe's of Reading, the Muhlenberg Police Department, the Rodale Institute, and other local donors.
The children are at KidsPeace part of the day to help them deal with crises and traumas in their young lives, and staff is incorporating the project into the children's therapy. The composting helps teach students about life processes and the planet, and also fosters teamwork, cooperation, and community involvement. Kids are pitching in to build and paint compost bins that will be located on the grounds. Sixty pounds of worms are on order, and once they are settled in their bins, the children will feed them with the campus' waste, collect the recycled materials and add them to the compost bins, mixing the new waste in with the fertilizer that will be added to the garden beds in the spring. They will also turn the compost twice a week and remove ripe compost to make room for more waste. "We will probably have more than we need," says KidsPeace Assistant Center Manager Tom Smoot, "and we're hoping to be able to sell or trade some of this rich fertilizer with nurseries for tomato and other plants."
The project is generating interest and support from many areas. The Somat Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a waste reduction technology firm, has agreed to provide the campus with a pulper that removes liquids from and pulverizes the waste into confetti-like pieces, which are then fed to the worms. Somat is also supplying corn-based trays, plates, cups and cutlery to the campus free of charge for six months to assist the project startup.
Vermicomposting is more than an exercise in environmentalism - in these fiscally tight times, it is saving the local charity money. According to KidsPeace Program Manager Chris Ferry, "Our trash will be cut at least in half at the campus, saving thousands of dollars per year."
The effort was organized by KidsPeace Mental Health Professional Fred Indenbaum, who also planned and raised funds for the campus's highly successful garden.
"At some schools, kids try to worm their way out of work," says Indenbaum. "Here, kids are trying very hard to put their work into worms - and make the area and our world a little greener."
KidsPeace is a 126-year-old national children's crisis charity dedicated to giving hope, help, and healing to children facing crisis. In Berks County, KidsPeace provides a therapeutic environment for children and adolescents who are having difficulty functioning in school, at home and in the community. The focus of the program is to provide intensive interdisciplinary mental health services while keeping the child at home. The program is divided into two developmental age groups: children 3 to 12 years of age and adolescents 13 to 18 years of age. With 50+ centers nationwide, KidsPeace directly helps thousands of children a day with life-saving treatment to overcome the crises of growing up. KidsPeace helps millions more each year through prevention and awareness campaigns designed to help America's kids and parents avoid and overcome the kinds of crises that can strike any child - from disasters and personal traumas to family issues and life crises. KidsPeace was named "The Outstanding Organization" of its kind in the country by the American Association of Psychiatric Services for Children, received the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission, and was called "a prototype of what we need for all children everywhere" by the late, nationally renowned child and family expert, Dr. Lee Salk.
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- Save money!
- Reduce labor.
- Cut hauling costs by reducing waste an astounding 80%
- Improve sanitation.
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"We've used two Somat units for more than 11 years. They cut our garbage disposal bills, save space, and improve sanitation. They do a heck
of a job."
Dan Selkin
Club 101
"We've cut trash costs by $1,000 a month."
Tony Patalivo
Bobby's Seafood
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