Long Beach residents will have an opportunity to study waste reduction strategies in-depth over an eight-week course organized by the Department of Public Works’ Environmental Services Bureau.
The classes for the program will take place on seven consecutive Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon, starting on Feb. 9, with a final reunion class to be scheduled by students. To be certified as a Master Composter Recycler, students must attend at least seven out of the eight classes and volunteer for 25 hours.
Over the course of the eight weeks, those in the program will learn about recycling and composting through a combination of classroom lessons and hands-on experiences.
The curriculum on recycling will go over recycling laws, recycling markets, the process of recycling and how to recycle properly in Long Beach. The program will primarily be taught by Dalia Gonzalez-Gaeta, Recycling Specialist for the Environmental Services Bureau, and other City staff. Experts on relevant topics will be brought in as guest speakers.
“Through this program, we are looking to bridge the gap between awareness and action by motivating communities, friends, families, co-workers, etc. to reduce waste in their homes and/or workplace and enhance the ability of the city to reach more people through the creation of a network that educates about these topics,” Gonzalez-Gaeta said. “Through this program, we hope to have participants from all over Long Beach join us and then take what they learn back to their communities.”
The composting curriculum will teach students about both backyard composting and vermicomposting (which uses worms to break down waste), giving them the skills to maintain their own nutrient-rich compost heaps.
This is the second official iteration of the Master Composter Recycler program. A pilot program was previously held from March to May, which helped the Environmental Services Bureau gather participant feedback used to improve the final program.
The new Master Composter Recycler program evolved from the various waste reduction, composting and recycling workshops the Environmental Services Bureau has held throughout the years. However, the new program emphasizes leadership and community organizing in a way previous workshops have not.
Besides waste reduction strategies, students in the program will learn public engagement skills so they can become advocates for recycling and composting in their communities.
The 25 volunteer hours needed to complete certification can be done by working with an organization that
focuses on waste reduction, volunteering to provide outreach and education at events, hosting educational presentations, and completing continuing education classes.
After graduating from the Master Composter Recycler program, the Environmental Services Bureau will continue to keep in contact with participants through a monthly newsletter, informative emails and opportunities for further education.
Registration for the Master Composter Recycler program will open on Monday, Jan. 2 at 10 a.m. Those who are interested are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible, as space is limited. Long Beach residents ages 18 and older can register for the program at bit.ly/lbmcrprogram. Any Long Beach resident ages 18 and older are welcome to sign up. The program will be completely free of charge.
[A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that this is the first official iteration of the program and that all eight classes would be held consecutively. The Signal Tribune regrets this error.]