Empowering Community Through Urban Farming

Community-driven urban farming and composting are direct solutions to social, economic, and environmental impacts of “wasted resources” in LA. This episode’s guests are tackling the environmental issues of soil health and wasted organics, all the while building community roots and social equity through local composting and thriving urban farms.

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LA Compost endeavored to work with their communities to see how far their organic material, food scraps, leaves, paper, and other organics from restaurants, homes, and schools. was traveling and the harmful effects it had on the environment. In 2014, LA Compost shifted to a model of decentralized community compost hubs -cared for, maintained and enjoyed by activated community members.

Composting at the community scale allows individuals to engage with each other and learn from the process. The healthy soil that is created by a community compost hub stays in the community and is used locally to enrich the soil in the neighborhood in which it was created.

Guests:
– Derek Steele, Health and Equity Programs Director for Social Justice Learning Institute – www.sjli.org
– Michael Martinez Executive Director, LA Compost- www.lacompost.org
– Jessica Aldridge, Zero Waste/Sustainability Dir. and Founder of Adventures In Waste – www.adventuresinwaste.com