I'd love to see photos if you have any to share.
Kath

Thank you for such a thorough (and quick) response. That's a very impressive operation. I work at a very small library and leave a 5-gal bucket in the breakroom similar to what you do. However, there are only about 12 of us so my volume is a bit smaller LOL. Some of my co-workers also bring contributions from home and I take everything home with me (along with the Starbucks UCGs I p/u on my commute)to mix in my bins. Like I said, not a large operation, but I've made enough compost to start an herb garden that has ~15' diameter and amend my 800-sq-ft garden after Fall Cleanup so I'm happy!

I love that you moved your piles to a more visible area and have turned them into a bit of an Educational Area. Our local conservation district has a "demonstration area" in the city park that has a few stops with different types of composting; sort of like a walking tour. I haven't been there in a while, but I like your use of signage and brochures. I'll have to visit it again and see what their signage is like.

KUDOS TO YOU, YOUR STAFF, AND COMPOSTING VOLUNTEERS!!!

Thanks for the compliments compostkate. It's a labor of love, for sure, since there's little to no budget. But if an agency like ours can't get it done, we can't expect others to do it.

I need to shoot some more pics, but the only other time I've tried to post pics on a Gardenweb forum I had problems getting them to show up. If there's a picposting for dummies thread anywhere please point me to it.

" If there's a picposting for dummies thread anywhere please point me to it."

Here is a thread with instructions including screenprints that was posted in the lawncare section a couple of years ago.

Here's a photo attempt...

Bucket with other recycling bins:
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Area showing the little raised bed at left (to be expanded) and bins to the right.
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Other end showing recycled concrete block finishing bin, to be lined with chicken wire, surrounded by perennials.
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Black bin area with recycled concrete block base (we switched from pallets which decompose in a year or so)
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Inside the bin...
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Sign (not yet moved from the old area)
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It's pretty new and we've had dry weather so it doesn't look that good, but once the flowers grow in around the block bin and we get some signage it'll look better I think.

That is just great sometimes getting other on board can be problem I compost a lot of cardboard at work and the goes well

I think its good that you have brought them out in the open so people can see that they dont smell horrible and other bad stereotypes

Tox, wonderful program well explained.

Chuck

With your permission, I'll print out your description of your composting plan and equipment and give it to our local library. They are planning a garden, and asking patrons for compost. I don't see why they can't generate some of their own, and it would be a teaching opportunity, also.
Praise to you and your co-workers for making such a difference! Hope your ideas spread to other agencies.

Thanks everyone for your comments, and marlingardener, please do forward it on to the library. I would love to see the idea spread and if my writeup will help with that, by all means, anyone who wants it should copy it! If there are questions about anything post them and I'll try to answer them.

We really should put out a brochure about this but we're talking about a state where per capita spending on the environment varies from 48th to 50th in the nation. Just don't have the people and resources to do as much as we could.

This is great. So good to see everyone working together.

I work at a library and we have discussed composting on-site. The consensus seems to be that the city would definitely not support it and we would have to disguise our pile. Then we discussed using worm bins, but nothing really came of that. Unfortunately, the only other really gung-ho person left for another job, and now it's just me and one other person who are really concerned about it, so it is a bit difficult to get others interested.

In the meantime, in addition to all recycling, I occasionally take home my co-workers' food scraps if I catch them. They're no longer surprised when I point to a banana peel and ask what they're planning on doing with it.

Kudos to you and your co-workers. And thanks for sharing the pictures.

Dee

Thank you diggerdee. Before we started this we had an employee or two who would put an ice cream bucket by the coffee machine to take home grounds. As long as they get into a bin somewhere, consider it a success.

Convincing most people that composting can and should be done in public places can be a real challenge. To me it's just like having a recycling bin for cans and bottles. Just another bin. Someone has to tend it a bit, but if done right, it's harmless, and a small public compost operation can be a great educational tool. I wish you success in the future with yours.

Dee,

I too work at a library and started by "comandeering" banana and orange peels. Since I'm only in a couple of times a week, I asked if I could leave a 5-gal bucket in the breakroom. I pointed out that my bucket has a lid and our breakroom garbage does not, promised to switch it for an empty one atleast once a week, and would gladly accept plant materials from our houseplants and the floral arrangements a Friend of the Library freshens up regularly. I now have 2 co-workers who take buckets home with them and return when full plus the breakroom bucket. Slowly but surely!

We have an old 10-gal aquarium that was donated eons ago for a summer kids project and I'm currently trying to figure a way to use it as a worm bin. I've never vermicomposted (yet), but I think it would be neat to have one in glass so the kids could sort of "watch the process". We get a lot of field trips during the school year and I'd like to make the most of their time at the library. If it's successful it could perhaps lead to worm bins in the classroom too :)

Like Tox said: " As long as they get into a bin somewhere, consider it a success."

Thanks for the good wishes Tox. I may print out this thread to show my director.

Compostskate, I actually used to have two co-workers bring their kitchen scraps into me - and even a few patrons, if you can believe that! Then they all went and started composting on their own, lol. Which is, after all, a really good thing, even if I lost the goods.

I already bring home all the recycling from the library because we don't even recycle, so I don't want to lug too much stuff home. And if they don't even recycle, it really will be a stretch to get them composting on-site. But you gave me an idea - I think I need to talk to the children's librarian and if I make a worm bin part of the children's room, it may just work....

Thanks for the idea, and thanks again to you, Tox, for your inspiration, lol!

Dee

Perzackly what I was hoping to get out of this thread: spreading the gospel to more facilities.

Rock on!

I second that!

Compostkate that is a great idea with your worm bin have you looked though the vermicomposting forum here?

The worms don't really like light I was thinkig you might have it covered with decorated blanket or something until someone wants a peek its not that the light will hurt them but they will go to the inside and you will never be able to see the worms
If you need some worms let me know I might be able to spare some for a good cause

Sometimes its amazing how hard it is to get some people on board with things like this glad some of you are getting good results

As a matter of fact, I have been surfing the Vermicomposting forum! Lots of good info there. Many things I wasn't yet aware of. The issue of the worms shying away from light has been one of the major obstacles for my proposed worm bin. The boss is afraid if we cover the aquarium it will then become "out of sight out of mind" and inadvertently get neglected; i.e. stuff would start to smell & attract bugs. The Children's Program Director and I are considering options. At the moment, we are leaning toward a cardboard box that could easily be slipped over the aquarium and then back off for viewing. We thought we'd do a worm/compost themed craft one afternoon and make decorating the outside of the box the "class craft" in addition to the kids' personal ones. Lots of planning for a lil ole 10-gal vermi-bin LOL. But it'll be worth it in the end!

Thanks for the support Jonas, I will definitely keep you in mind when it comes time to get worms hehe.

Nice & good for everyone.
My company is working toward 100% land fill free.