Bay View Bash Diverts Literally a Ton

Let us take this belated opportunity to extend a ton-size thank you to all our awesome volunteers who made this year’s Bay View Bash a smashing success. We diverted over 2,020 pounds of organics from the all-day street festival, more than doubling last year’s yield. We couldn’t have done it without the intrepid people power – both stalwart regulars and promising new recruits from Rufus King and Ronald Reagan IB high schools – over 12 hours of setup, trash picking, organizing, and hauling. We are immensely grateful.
Our new double-sort operation, the brainchild of board member Brian Williams-Van Klooster – succeeded in improving efficiency, reducing contamination, and improving the posture of our cheerful volunteers. This innovative system allowed us to catch more food and compostable products amidst the see of recyclables, noncompostable trash, and other unsavory bits that turn up in public trash bins. Well done, Brian. Your commitment to the Bash is exemplary.

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to the impressive organics diversion rate, our secondary recycling sort produced nearly 20 jam-packed rolling carts of clean bottles and cans, surely a first for a street festival of this scale. 

We are always improving our methods, so if you have any suggestions or helpful comments you want to send our way, please do so. In the meantime, that simple ton of organics is overwintering in a huge windrow at the Farm’s Composting in Caledonia where it will make the full cycle back to soil for growing vegetables next summer.