Rust Belt Riders

Learn More About the Hidden Cost of Landfills. "Inadequate federal air emissions regulations allow landfills across the U.S. to regularly leak methane well above the legal threshold set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a new report from Industrious Labs that details findings from EPA inspections of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The report, The Hidden Cost of Landfills: How flawed landfill regulations perpetuate a methane crisis, revealed 711 methane exceedances over the legal threshold of 500 parts per million (ppm), and found at least one methane exceedance at 96% of sites where EPA conducted monitoring. Further, at nearly half (48%) of these sites, EPA inspectors found multiple exceedances where landfill operators had previously reported few or no exceedances." BioCycle https://lnkd.in/e9HyT2NU

Every summer the Old Brooklyn Farmers Market organizes for three months to feed Clevelanders fresh and locally produced food. In 2024, OBFM is building on that mission with several exciting changes including moving to Thursday nights 5:00-8:00PM, and relocating to Stanford Avenue where they’ll be hosting their weekly evening street market. Other changes include partnering with Rust Belt Riders to add “not landfills” to their annual mission to feed Clevelanders. For three weeks in 2024, Rust Belt Riders will be at the market to promote composting, as well as providing a commercial compost bin for market patrons all season long. Visitors to Old Brooklyn Farmers Market this year can also expect to find 30 different local vendors, weekly live music and art events, a foraged foods cooking demo and foraging classes, a pair of pop-up comedy and drag shows by Snowflake Comedy Club and Uncle Lulu Presents, a beer garden sponsored by Schnitz Ale Brewery, and rotating dinner options throughout the year. Participants of SNAP, WIC, Produce Perks, and TANF will also be able to use their dollars at OBFM all season long including a weekly match of up to $25 on any SNAP spending. When: Thursdays, July 11 – Sept 26, 5-8pm Where: 4274 Pearl Rd., Cleveland OH 44109 For more information, please visit oldbrooklyn.com/market, follow along on Instagram & Facebook @oldbrooklynfarmersmarket, or email them at obfm@oldbrooklyn.com

Summer is just around the corner, so it's time to prep your gardens and grills for some fun in the sun! We're here to help by collecting your compostable grill scraps, including meat, bones, and dairy. Plus, our partner company, Tilth Soil , is offering a buy one, get one free deal on their soil products. Just lend a hand in getting your local garden center to stock Tilth Soil, and you can score some great savings. Contact Tilth Soil for more information on how to take advantage of this awesome offer!

client spotlight ! Born out of a desire to connect and support one another in dark times, Sue Buddenbaum began Big Hearted Blooms back in 2018. Taking the remnants and scraps of what is cast off in systems littered with waste, from florists throughout the northeastern Ohio region, the volunteers and members that make up the organization are able to take in and repurpose floral arrangements into vivid new lives. Arrangements that have already been used in some way, or have reached a “point past prime”, are gathered, sorted and returned to the world in beautiful new displays of light and life, and delivered to the livers and staff of health care facilities throughout the region. read more at the link here ! https://ow.ly/HNXN50QBu1a

The U.S. EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) is seeking public comment through February 9 on how well the modeled management practices represent the diversity of practices typically used in the U.S., how can WARM better align with best practices in #climatechange modeling and assumptions, and what can be done to enhance the clarity, transparency, relevance, and usability of WARM and its accompanying documentation. #GHG #landfill

Big news #Cleveland! The City of Cleveland was awarded a USDA Grant to increase access to #composting services and advance urban agriculture through the Composting and Food Waste Reduction grants. We will be working with Rid-All Green Partnership, The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, and The City of Cleveland. “This award will go a long way in helping us grow a sustainable program that not only turns food waste into healthy soil, but also supports local, employee-owned small businesses,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “Food waste is the single most common material in our landfills and is responsible for significant methane emissions. The more we can divert out of the waste stream, the better for our people and our environment.” Read More: https://ow.ly/jM5v50QvqBW.

🌱 Dive into the composting world with a touch of science! 🌿 In composting, it's all about the balance between brown and green materials. 🌾 Brown materials, rich in carbon, provide structure and aeration, while green materials, high in nitrogen, activate microbial activity. 💃 Maintaining this dance ensures effective decomposition and nutrient-rich compost for your garden. 🌻 Remember, it's a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio game! 🍃♻️ #Composting101 #GreenAndBrown #SustainableLiving Scroll Down to read more. In composting, materials are categorized into two main types: brown materials (carbon-rich) and green materials (nitrogen-rich). The key difference between them lies in their carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and the role they play in the composting process. **Brown Materials (Carbon-Rich):** - Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio: Higher carbon content compared to nitrogen. - Examples: Dry and woody materials such as dried leaves, straw, cardboard, newspaper, sawdust, and wood chips. - Characteristics: Brown materials are often dry, brown, and bulky. They provide structure to the compost pile and help create airspace for aeration. **Green Materials (Nitrogen-Rich):** - Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio: Higher nitrogen content compared to carbon. - Examples: Moist and green materials like kitchen scraps (fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds), fresh garden waste, grass clippings, and manure. - Characteristics: Green materials are typically wet, green, and softer. They are a source of nitrogen that activates the microbial activity in the compost pile. **Role in Composting:** - **Brown materials:** Provide the carbon needed to build the structural framework of the compost, absorb excess moisture, and create aeration. They also contribute to the overall carbon balance, ensuring that the composting process doesn't become too acidic. - **Green materials:** Supply the nitrogen necessary for microbial activity. Nitrogen helps microorganisms break down organic matter into simpler forms. Green materials are also a source of moisture in the compost pile. **Balancing Act:** For successful composting, it's crucial to maintain a balance between brown and green materials. This balance ensures that the compost pile has the right mix of carbon and nitrogen, promoting effective decomposition.Too much nitrogen can lead to a smelly and slimy compost, while too much carbon can slow down the decomposition process. In back yard systems, we like 2-3x the amount of carbon for every 1x nitrogen.

Join Rid-All Farm next Thursday, Feb 1, at the City Club to view an advanced film screening of their documentary Regenerating Communities! Details below, registration required. On this date thirteen years ago, the first building was opened on the Rid-All farm site--based in the Lower Kinsman neighborhood in the former Forgotten Triangle. Since then, Rid-All has grown from 1.3 acres to 18 acres, with a thriving campus that includes six hoop houses, two greenhouses, EPA licensed compost facility, a tree nursery, a tilapia fish farm, and more. Rid-All Farm has become a community anchor and beacon of what is possible in the face of food injustice and the fight toward food sovereignty. Join them for a special City Club advance film screening of Regenerating Communities, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A featuring Rid-All Co-Founders Randell McShepard and Keymah Durden, and Filmmaker Ross Monagle. https://ow.ly/mulw50Qsi2e

🌍"Landfilling food scraps generates huge amounts of methane, a majority of which is released to the atmosphere... for the first time, in one place, EPA has said it. That is a gigantic and critical step towards fixing this problem." -Sally Brown Read More here: https://ow.ly/KzW350QtAIE