This year, Governor Jared Polis signed the proclamation to make May 7th-13th Compost Awareness Week in Colorado. Members of the Colorado Composting Council banded together to help write the proclamation and get it submitted. We are so proud to have a governor that supports our composting and recycling initiatives!
Compost Awareness Week Proclamation
WHEREAS, the State of Colorado is committed to reducing landfill waste and ‘Erase the Waste’ in Colorado, and adopted science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets of 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 and 90% by 2050; and
WHEREAS, composting is an effective form of waste reduction, and since organic materials make up approximately 37% of the material going to landfills, composting is one of the primary methods communities use to reach waste diversion goals; and
WHEREAS, composting returns organic resources to the soil, stores carbon in soils reducing climate impacts, reduces methane emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills, promotes water conservation during extreme drought or flooding conditions, reduces water consumption, and is a proven method of decreasing erosion and dependence on chemical fertilizers; and
WHEREAS, composting creates jobs and infrastructure for cities and states who implement composting programs, and these communities, through their local governments, highway departments, soil conservation services, and public works professionals, have significantly positively impacted clean water, soil, climate change and landfill diversion by using compost for public works projects; and
WHEREAS, the Compost Research & Education Foundation, along with countries around the world, have declared the first full week of May to be the annual International Compost Awareness Week, as a publicity and education initiative to showcase compost production and demonstrate compost use; and
WHEREAS, the 2023 International Compost Awareness Week theme ‘For Healthier Soil, Healthier Food...Compost!’ highlights how compost has a role in helping feed the world, by making our soil healthier which produces healthier food;
THEREFORE, I, Jared Polis, Governor of the State of Colorado, do hereby proclaim the period of time between May 7 and May 13, 2023 as
