STRINGER'S INTO WASTE

Calling the growth of neighborhood composting programs "a top priority" in the campaign to make New York greener and grow more nourishing local food, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer and the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB), a citizen advisory board, are launching a new grant program to offer funding for community, small-scale composing initiatives. 

Under the new program, grants of up to $750 will be awarded in 2011 to community groups to start, expand and grow neighborhood composting programs. Groups eligible for funding include community associations, community gardens, friends of park groups, housing development organizations, nonprofits, public schools, colleges and universities, hospitals and private businesses. 

"Neighborhood composting is a key to our environmental and physical health in New York, and this new program will go a long way transforming everyday food and yard waste into organic nutrients that will make our gardens grow and produce more food for New Yorkers," said Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer. "I applaud the Manhattan SWAB for their commitment and work to making our city more green and sustainable. Offering these grants to innovative and far-sighted composting programs will help ensure that the people who call Manhattan home will have a healthy and environmentally responsible future."

"The Manhattan SWAB is very excited to offer this grant program to encourage on-site composting efforts in Manhattan to reduce the amount of waste traveling to distant landfills," said SWAB Composting Committee Chair Christine Datz-Romero.

Organic waste diversion is central to increasing the city's residential recycling diversion rate. Currently, food and yard waste together make up over 20% of the residential waste stream.  The City's Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling has one operative, permitted composting facility in Staten Island to compost yard waste generated by landscapers and supports the NYC Compost Project, a compost outreach and education program for NYC residents, nonprofit organizations, and businesses.  This program will build upon the City's efforts to help foster and expand community-based compost programs in Manhattan by providing small grants to qualifying organizations. 

Proposals must be submitted by February 4, 2011. All selections will be made solely by the members of the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB), and awards will be announced by March 11, 2011. For more information and application materials, please visit www.mbpo.org/composting or call 212-669-7664.

The Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) is a citizen advisory board appointed jointly by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and New York City Council members representing districts in Manhattan. A list of members is below:

Vesel	Ademaj	Durst Organization
Ramon	Cruz	Energy Consultant
Sarah	Currie	SAC Marketing
Christine	Datz-Romero	Lower East Side Ecology Center
Helena	Durst	The Durst Organization
Stefanie	Feldman	Waste Management
Leonard	Formato	Boulder Resources
Richard	Gonzalez	Urban Design Lab, at the Earth Institute at Columbia University
Lloyd	Hicks	New Leaf Strategic Consulting
Joan	Levine	Environmental Advocate
Alaine	Marx	Jewish Home Lifecare
Glenn	McAnanama	Pfizer, Inc./Upper Green Side
Catherine	McVay Hughes	Community Board 1
Tom	Outerbridge	Sims Municipal Recycling
Maite	Quinn	Platinum Maintenance
Andrea	Schaffer	CityMatters LLC
Basil	Seggos	Hugu Neu
Brendan	Sexton	Former NYC Department of Sanitation Commissioner
Kate	Sinding	Natural Resources Defense Council
Annie	White	Coalition for Resource Recovery, Global Green USA
Craig	Wilson	SHARE