Brief Bio: My web site KnittingHelp.com started as a single page on this personal site, and is now my career! Funny how things work out, it wasn't planned. For more about that, and my story, check out the About Me page on that site. Also check out my page about the Sacred Harp singing which has become such a central part of my life.

a proud moment: Chairing the Pioneer Valley All Day Sing, June 2007

What's New: Introducing the Zero Waste concept to Western Massachusetts!

As the Chair of this summer's Pioneer Valley All Day Sing, I decided to implement composting. Not just a little bit of composting, but serious composting and recycling, to the point where virtually no trash is created during the event. This concept is called Zero Waste.

So, we didn't just compost food scraps, we composted all of our non-recyclable items: paper plates, napkins, even cups and forks! Our "plastic" forks were not plastic, of course, but eco-plastic, made from potato starch. All of our disposable food-service items for that day were purchased with "compostability" in mind. (Check out my shopping list on the below resource page.)

The results? Our 150-person potluck event, which typically produces 6 large bags of trash, produced less than 1/2 bag of trash! In place of that trash, were several bags of compostables and recyclables. Special thanks to Whole Foods Market in Hadley, MA, for accepting our compostable items. Our compostables have been shredded and processed by their commercial composting facility. Hooray!

I've created a resource page about Zero Waste event organizing, here, which includes a full cost break-down ($.50-$1.00/person), a diposable items shopping list, and important tips for bringing event participants on board.

Still my favorite Quote:
Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
~Gil Baile

page last updated July 2007