Compost Happens At Free Workshops
Have you ever wondered how to make compost? If so, your wondering days are now over. The County of Santa Barbara is offering free composting workshops in May and June. Offered for novice and experienced composters alike, these workshops will teach you how to set up a bin, what materials are compostable, how to create great smelling compost and ways to avoid attracting pests to your bin. The workshops will be conducted by the County’s Composting Specialist Sam Dickinson and Explore Ecology’s Environmental Education Director Tahara Exrahti.
Composting is a fun and easy way to turn trash like food scraps and yard waste into a nutrient rich treasure for your garden. As an added benefit, composting stops biodegradable materials from going to the landfill where they emit Volatile Organic Compounds and methane, a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change.
Free Composting Workshops
Free Workshop Schedule:
Solvang Branch Library 1745 Mission Drive
Saturday, May 18 10:00 to 11:30 a.m
Santa Barbara SBCC Lifescape Garden, East Campus
Saturday, June 1st 10:00-11:30 am
Santa Maria Valley Sustainable Garden
624 West Foster Road, Santa Maria
Saturday, June 8th 10:00-11:30 am
Once you know how to compost, you may want a bin. The County sells Earth Machine composting bins for $40.00- discounted 50% off the retail price. These bins can be purchased between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, at the South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station, located at 4430 Calle Real in Santa Barbara. In North County, they are available between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the North County Public Works Building, located at 620 West Foster Road in Santa Maria. For more information about the Earth Machine visit the County’s recycling website.
Earth Machine
Josh was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where his passion and curiosity for the environment began and has continued to grow. During his undergraduate studies, Josh pursued this interest at the University of California at Santa Cruz, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies.
Melissa Dodos developed her passion for creative reuse as a mother of four and elementary educator over the past 25 years. She loves to inspire creativity by connecting people with resources and ideas.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Stephanie began her journey as an educator over twenty years ago working as a preschool teacher in Washington state for a cooperative preschool program affiliated with Whatcom Community College. She loved observing the wonder and curiosity of the children and bringing them out into nature to explore the natural world. She continued her love for learning and got her teaching license and then her Montessori certification and worked as an elementary teacher in Tribal, Public, and Montessori schools. She collaborated to create a school garden and her students loved it so much that it became a special place where they could garden, read, explore, play, and it provided a safe sanctuary for students to calm down and reset when they were having difficult moments.
Morgan’s mermaid soul is always seeking adventure—swimming a relay across the Santa Barbara Channel and taking the first photo of a newborn orca off Anacapa Island being standout experiences close to home.
Lindsay Johnson