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.
