Celebrate Earth Day with free compost on Saturday, April 22

Piedmont’s Sustainability Division invites community members to celebrate Earth Day with a free compost giveaway at the City’s Corporation Yard (898 Red Rock Rd.) on Saturday, April 22^nd. Residents may to pick up one cubic yard of free compost per household between 9am and 12pm (while supplies last).

Residents will need to bring a shovel, gloves, and container for their compost. Volunteers and Public Works staff will be on hand to help with bagging and loading. Optional pre-registration is available at piedmont.ca.gov/CompostGiveaway.

Compost helps keep your garden healthy

Using compost in your yard helps keep gardens healthy by enhancing soil structure, boosting fertility, and improving nutrient and water retention. Compost also encourages microbial activity, which not only supports vigorous and healthy plants but also helps fight climate change by increasing the amount of carbon your garden can store.

Here are a few ways to incorporate compost into your gardening practices:

• Soil amendment: Work a 4” to 8” layer of compost into the soil when making new edible garden beds. After the initial heavy application, switch to topdressing as needed to keep your soil healthy.
• Topdressing: Spread a ½” to 2” layer of compost on top of the soil at least once a year. Topdressing can be done any time of year to improve soil fertility and reduce watering needs.
• Potting Mix: Combine sifted compost with potting mix to make a rich, loose potting soil for containers, houseplants, or starting seedlings from scratch. Compost provides a variety of nutrients not typically supplied in commercial fertilizers or soil-free potting mixes.

Find more tips for using compost in your garden, including mix recipes and video guidance, at StopWaste.org’s Using Compost in Your Garden webpage.

Giveaway compost originates from residents’ green bins

The compost that will be distributed during the Earth Day event originally comes from yard trimmings and food waste that Piedmonters and other communities serviced by Republic Services put in their green waste bins.

Republic Services takes this waste to a large-scale facility where it is transformed into compost. This process helps to keep organic materials from emitting greenhouse gasses in the landfill and creates opportunities to use these nutrient-rich resources to regenerate our soils. As the compost is locally based and free, it models the concept of a “circular economy,” where a resource is used and reused in a cycle that turns waste into new materials that can re-enter the supply chain. Learn more about the composting process on the Republic Services website.

In addition to the Earth Day event, free self-haul compost is available to residents every Friday outside of the Corporation Yard. The self-haul compost program operates year-round as long as weather permits. More information is available at piedmont.ca.gov/CompostProgram.

For questions about the Earth Day event, self-haul compost program, or organics recycling in Piedmont, contact Sustainability Program Manager Alyssa Dykman at [email protected].