Proclaim Compost Awareness Week

Assembly Resolution No. 278 BY: M. of A. Ortiz MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 5-11, 2019, as Compost Awareness Week in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 5-11, 2019, as Compost Awareness Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of International Compost Awareness Week; and WHEREAS, The Composting Council Research & Education Foundation, along with Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and other countries have declared the first week of May to be the annual International Compost Awareness Week; and WHEREAS, Materials such as yard trimmings, vegetable cuttings, biosolids, food scraps, manures and hay shavings have all been composted and converted into a beneficial product known as compost; and WHEREAS, A majority of wasted food in the United States is disposed of in landfills, where due to improper treatment, it decomposes and releases 15% of our nation's emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas that is one of the largest contributors towards climate change; and WHEREAS, Composting is an effective form of waste reduction, reuse and recycling, and, since organic materials make up approximately 40% of the material going to landfills in the United States, composting is becoming one of the primary methods communities use to reach waste diversion goals; and WHEREAS, Composting is a way of returning organic resources to the soil and is a way of conserving water during extreme drought or flooding conditions, reducing water consumption and non-point pollution, and a proven method of decreasing the dependence on chemical fertilizers and decreasing erosion; and WHEREAS, Communities, through their local governments, highway departments, soil conservation service and extension offices, and public works professionals, can have significant impact on clean water, soil, climate change and landfill diversion by using compost for public works projects; and WHEREAS, Composting creates green jobs and infrastructure for cities and states that implement composting programs; and WHEREAS, Composting is an effective way to aid the Climate Leadership Act with the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by the year 2030, which was proposed in the Governor's NYS 2019-2020 budget; and WHEREAS, Compost Awareness Week is a publicity and education imitative to showcase compost production and demonstrate compost use; and WHEREAS, This year's theme "Cool the Climate - Compost!" was selected to highlight the connection between soil health and the climate; it shows the relationship between soil management practices with compost is key to soil health and migrating climate change; and WHEREAS, Soil plays an important role in our environment; healthy soil is at the heart of planetary, agricultural and human health; and WHEREAS, By composting, we return nutrients to the soil, help capture carbon from the atmosphere, resist drought and disease, and provide fresh air; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 5-11, 2019, as Compost Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York; and the Composting Council Research & Education Foundation.