Contact: Patti Klein Lerner,
(818) 677-2130

Free Composting Tips From Cal State Northridge

You can find out how to do this and more at a Backyard Composter Sale and Smart Gardening Workshop at Cal State Northridge. The free workshop is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 6 in Faculty Parking Lot C, which can be reached by turning north onto Zelzah Avenue from Nordhoff Street.

Other topics to be taught in the Smart Gardening Workshop include water-wise gardening, mulching, the use of grass clippings to make lawns green and how to minimize the use of pesticides, said Cyndi Signett, who runs the Associated Students University Recycling program, which is sponsoring the event.

Compost bins will be available for sale at a discounted price of $20 with proof of Los Angeles city residency (a valid driver's license and a DWP bill,) while supplies last, Signett said.

"Cal State Northridge is very happy that we're able to provide a site that helps the city of Los Angeles in their composting-recycling education and outreach program," Signett said. "It helps the surrounding community and it also helps the folks here on campus to reduce the amount of garbage going to city landfills. And people benefit personally by creating their own compost from their lawn trimmings and food waste, turning it into good, rich-smelling soil for their gardens."

For more information, call Signett at (818) 677-2477. For information on the composting bins, call the Solid Resources Citywide Recycling Division at (213) 473-8228.