Cedar Grove's Garden Spot

Talk about distortion

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:53:00 +0000

Some people in the North Everett/Marysville area recently found a postcard in their mailboxes that was obviously composed by a Seattle public relations firm that was unconcerned with the facts.

Here are some important things to think about:

· Although hundreds of complaints of odors from Cedar Grove have been made to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, the company's Everett location was cited for odors for two days, one in 2009 and the other in 2010. Cedar Grove has not received a notice of permit violation for odors for more than a year.

· For one month last summer the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency intensified its enforcement effort in the area around Cedar Grove’s plant. In the period of this intensified effort, the Agency received 168 Cedar Grove odor complaints and investigated 103 of them. The agency did not issue a single citation.

· Cedar Grove is the only generator in the area that has agreed in writing to a third party expert study to determine where odors originate. This study can answer once and for all where unpleasant odors originate.

· Cedar Grove has proposed an enclosed facility for anaerobic digestion of organic waste that will operate within the current permitted capacity for the site. This digester will not only produce green energy, it will be entirely enclosed. Yet this project is opposed by people who claim to want Cedar Grove to reduce odors.

· Residents are encouraged not to call Cedar Grove’s odor monitoring firm which now provides real time information that allows the company to make immediate adjustments when odor events are detected. Instead, they urge residents only to call the Clean Air Agency which can take longer for the resident to receive a follow up. Cedar Grove asks residents call its contractor so an immediate evaluation can be made. Cedar Grove has never discouraged calls to the agency.

What’s going on here? Maybe it’s time to ask who is paying for this assault on Cedar Grove, how much are they spending and what are their motives?

The Best Sports Story Ever Told: The Greening of Professional Sports in America

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:45:00 +0000

Have you been to Safeco Field recently? If you have, you’ve probably noticed the compostable cups, food trays and utensils used by all of the food service vendors. You may have noticed the many recycling and compost in addition to garbage cans.

While the Mariners may be struggling this season, Safeco Field is leading the way when it comes to the greening of ballparks and sports arenas across the country. According to a recent article, just six years ago, 88 percent of the waste created at a Mariners game was sent to the landfill. But by the 2011 season, Seattle had streamlined its ballpark operations to the point where they were using less than 10 million kWh a season and diverting 82% of their trash to Cedar Grove Composting, which processed 123.75 tons of the 259.47 total tons of refuse produced during the 2010 season. Another 88.8 tons was paper and plastic and commingled recycling.

The money saved by the Mariners is nothing to scoff at. A 30 percent reduction in electricity use has saved the Mariners an average of $302,900 per year since the 2008 season even though commercial electric rates in Seattle increased 22% during that span.

Cedar Grove has been honored to partner with the Mariners to give Safeco Field Soil, a special compost blend, back to customers as a giveaway promotion. The popular giveaway provides fans and the Mariners the opportunity to close the loop on the ballpark’s food cycle. Thank you to Safeco Field and Mariners’ fans for closing the loop with Cedar Grove!

Cedar Grove Composting Partners with the Maple Valley Food Bank to Make a Difference for Local Families

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:16:00 +0000

Cedar Grove Composting is partnering with the Maple Valley Food Bank this summer to support its back-to-school drive and fill the backpacks of local kids and the pantries of families living in Black Diamond, Covington, Hobart, Ravensdale, Maple Valley and within the boundaries of the Tahoma School District.

In the Tahoma School District, 15 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunches. The district has seen a slow but steady increase over the past few years in the number of students who qualify.

There are two ways to get involved and make a difference:

At National Night Out in the Glacier Valley community park on August 2, people can bring a can of food or back-to-school supply for the Maple Valley Food Bank and receive a FREE bag of Cedar Grove Compost! (This will be limited to the first 100 donors.) Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.!
You can stop by Cedar Grove’s Maple Valley location and bring a back-to-school item between now and August 24 will receive 15% bagged or bulk compost and 33% off kitchen collection kits.

We hope you’ll consider joining us in the fight against hunger in our community. Thank you!

Everett Community College Veggie Garden Supported by Strong Community – Staff, Students and Cedar Grove Composting

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:46:00 +0000

Cedar Grove recently supported Everett Community College through a compost donation as the school’s Nutrition 180 “Sustainable Food Systems” class built and installed raised beds for a veggie garden at the center of campus.

On March 31, the first planting took place, followed by plantings in April and May. In May, the students indulged in radish sandwiches, followed by radish and pea pod salad during the class’s weekly cooking sessions. The students then harvested spinach and made spinach and cheese calzones with their loot.

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

Other veggies the class planted include red and green cabbage, zucchini, leeks, beets, parsnips, peas, pole beans, pumpkins, kale, red and yellow onions, cucumbers, lettuce and more!

Later this month, the students will have their end-of-quarter potluck and will celebrate by harvesting lettuce from their garden to make a salad. Over the summer, the garden will be cared for by current students and John Syson, the college’s head groundskeeper and his crew. Food harvested from the garden over the summer months will be donated to the Everett Food Bank and the Everett Women’s Shelter. Laura Wild, nutrition instructor, says that she is referring to the garden’s summer caretakers as the “Garden Angels”.

The class also recently planted warm weather crops which will be used in the Nutrition 180 class this fall. In addition to vegetables, the class also planted flowers to attract beneficial insects including marigolds, zinnias and sweet alyssum.

Cedar Grove is committed to supporting the local community and has a passion for helping schools and non-profits in the areas in which we live, work and play! Kudos to Everett Community College for tackling this project and thank you for allowing Cedar Grove to be a part of it!

Compost Awareness Week – May 1-7

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:10:00 +0000

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

Did you know this week is International Compost Awareness Week? If not, we hope you’ll celebrate with us May 1-7, 2011! Whether you celebrate by learning something new about compost, using compost in a new way or by stepping up your kitchen composting a notch, we hope that you’ll participate in this special week in the world of composting!

There are so many benefits of composting and we hope you know them all and share them with your family, friends and neighbors. Compost can be used for:

Conserving water
Reducing soil erosion
Sustainable landscaping

How is your lawn doing? Is it lush and green and growing tall? If not, learn how to top dress your lawn with compost. Are your plants growing and thriving? If not, learn how to grow healthier plants.

How do you use compost? We invite you to comment here and let us know your tips and tricks for nourishing your garden with compost.

Kent Student and Eagle Scout Candidate Tackles Project to Honor Coal Miners Buried in Ravensdale, WA

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:36:00 +0000

Sterling Connell, a Kent resident, Meeker Middle School student and Eagle Scout candidate spent his Saturday working at Ravensdale Cemetery to begin its restoration.

Miners killed in a coal mine explosion were buried there and Sterling and 63 other volunteers cleared out the grave areas, clearing brush and blackberries.

Cedar Grove Composting donated the yard waste recycling fee and the company was happy to help Sterling, donating 6,000 lbs of yard waste recycling which was delivered Saturday in 10 truckloads by Sterling’s crew of volunteers.

Sterling organized a total of 275 man hours on the day of the project.

For the miners killed in that explosion and buried there, Sterling’s work made a huge difference. Way to go, Sterling!!!

City of Renton’s Earth Day/Arbor Day Event on April 30!

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:41:00 +0000

Cedar Grove Employees to Volunteer at the City of Renton’s Earth Day/Arbor Day Event on April 30!

Cedar Grove employees are looking forward to getting dirty on Saturday morning, April 30 at the City of Renton’s beautiful waterfront treasure, Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.

The city’s park staff will have a variety of projects for us to work on in celebration of Arbor Day and Earth Day and we’re looking forward to getting grubby and digging in the dirt to beautify this park before summer weather hits and the whole community is out in the sun, enjoying the Renton waterfront.

If you’re interested in joining our staff, please call the city’s community services department at 425.430.6600 to register.

Families are welcome and it’s a perfect opportunity for teenagers to get their community services hours needed for high school credit! So grab the whole family, put on some work clothes and get ready to have some fun with the broader community.

Pssst…it’s our little secret but rumor has it that hot dogs will be served around 11:30 and t-shirts might be given out to volunteers while supplies last…shhhhh!

Event Details:

1201 Lake Washington Blvd. North
9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Check-in begins at 9:00 a.m.
Parent Arbor Day/Earth Day form required for minors
14 years and under must be accompanied by an adult/guardian

Tahoma High School in Covington Launches Food Waste Recycling!

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:40:00 +0000

Cedar Grove is excited to partner with Tahoma High School in Covington which launched its food waste recycling program in March. The school’s Green Team and advisor, Clare Nance, along with a host of internal supporters at the school have successfully launched organics recycling in the school’s lunchroom as well as in many individual classrooms.

The Green Team produced its own video to show school-wide to launch the program and it is a great example of how the best education for successful school food waste programs is really student to student. The students have done an excellent job of educating each other about what is compostable and what’s not and encouraging their peers to sort their waste.

Johnson’s Home and Garden (Do It) Center, a local business in Maple Valley, generously donated the kitchen-sized compost pails for the school to use in individual classrooms to collect food waste for teachers who requested them.

The school is off and running and Nance estimates that the school has already reduced its garbage by half, thereby reducing cost to the school and diverting a great deal of waste from the landfill.

Way to go, Tahoma Bears!!!

Summer in the garden or the ocean or the wild?

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 06:10:00 +0000

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

Does your child have a green thumb? Are you hoping to have a little helper this summer in your veggie garden? Want to cultivate your child’s passion for the environment or perhaps trigger an interest he or she may not have discovered yet nor had the opportunity to explore? If so, you might want to check out some of the awesome gardening and nature-based camps and programs for kids in the Puget Sound region.

Seattle Tilth is offering gardening camps in both North and South Seattle. The Seattle Audubon Society is offering nature camps at Magnuson Park in Seattle.

The Wilderness Awareness School offers nature-based camps in Carnation, Duvall, Kirkland, Bellevue, Seattle and more!

The Pacific Science Center offers environmentally-based summer camps at the Mercer Slough Environmental Center in Bellevue.

Is your little one interested in all things under the sea? If touching sea stars and feeding an octopus would thrill your child, the Seattle Aquarium offers many summer camps for young marine explorers.

For those in or near Snoqualmie, Summer Winds Day Camp offers nature-based camps all summer on a private farm.

If you live near our Maple Valley plant, the City of Maple Valley hosts an annual camp called Camp Wild at Lake Wilderness that includes swimming, canoeing, and more fun in and around the lake.

Our region is bursting at the seams with environmental education programs for kids. We’re sure we’ve missed some awesome programs in our brief list. Do you know of other gardening or other nature-based summer camps being offered in King, Pierce or Snohomish County this summer? If so, please share your pearls of wisdom in the comments section. Thanks and happy summer planning!

Gardening Workshops

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:24:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

The King County Library and Seattle Tilth are hosting some fantastic gardening workshops this winter and spring that are free to attend and are taking place at the Issaquah and Sammamish libraries.

These will provide a wonderful opportunity to learn about growing edibles to enjoy at your spring and summer table.

1,2,3, Grow a Garden!
Saturday, February 19th, 2pm, Issaquah Library

Learn everything you need to know to get started growing your own delicious vegetables today!

We’ll cover garden placement, soil prep, what to plant and how. Then we’ll talk about how to take care of your veggies and when to harvest them at the peak of ripeness. It’s as easy as 1-2-3! Get ready to grow!

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via FlickrCulinary Herb Gardening

Saturday, April 2nd, at 2pm, Issaquah Library

Whether you’re interested in growing basil for pesto, cilantro for salsas or mint for summer iced tea, this workshop will teach you how to grow fresh kitchen herbs all season long! We’ll give you tips on how to plan your herb garden including where to plant it and how to choose what to grow. Then we’ll cover plant care, the harvest and simple ways to use your brand new, flavorful and highly nutritious herb garden!

Growing Veggies in Containers
Wednesday, April 27th, at 7pm, Sammamish Library

Attention apartment and condo dwellers! Just because you don't have a patch of ground doesn't mean you can't grow fresh, organic vegetables and herbs. Come learn how to begin and maintain an edible container garden. Whether you’re growing on your balcony or windowsill, this class will help get you started growing your own food.
Presented by Carey Thornton, Adult Education Program Manager and Garden Educator at Seattle Tilth.

Carey teaches classes on a variety of subjects throughout the year including organic vegetable gardening and composting, food preservation and permaculture.

Seattle Tilth inspires and educates people to garden organically, conserve natural resources and support local food systems in order to cultivate a healthy urban environment and community.

NW Flower & Garden Show 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:07:00 +0000

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

Don't forget the annual NW Flower and Garden Show is coming in February so join us February 23rd-27th to get inspired before spring!

Our booth this year is concentrating on growing your own vegetables and building your own garden. So get growing Seattle, nothing is better that freshly picked cucumber or carrot straight from the garden!!

Instructions for building containers
Booth #2351
Display garden: Alice's Labyrinth

Alice's Labyrinth Then it seemed like falling into a labyrinth: we thought we were at the finish, but our way bent ‘round and we found ourselves, as it were, back at the beginning, and just as far from that which we were seeking at first.” SOCRATES In striving for a sustainable society, we learn of the distance we still must travel. As one walks through Alice’s Labyrinth, one will reflect upon how individual steps will result in getting closer to true sustainability. The theme is to treasure resources, replenish the earth, and create healthy habitats.

Please stop by and visit us, and don't forget to vote for your favorite garden! Let Cedar Grove know if there are any tips or ideas you would like to know of share. We are here to answer any of your gardening questions.

Forty-One Billion Pounds

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:22:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Forty-one billion pounds is the amount of food Americans wasted in 2009 according to Feeding America. Green Living Tips indicates that 40 percent of food purchased in America is tossed out.

While food waste makes for great compost and its environmental impact can be a positive one by transforming it into nourishing compost for your garden, wasting food is costly to households and non-recyclable or compostable packaging can wreak havoc on the environment. So, especially during this season of over consumption, it’s important to consider taking steps to reduce or mitigate our food waste.

Ideas for reducing holiday food waste: Eat the leftovers!

Before shopping for food this week, check out the leftovers.
Check food safety guidelines before assuming food should be tossed
Take an inventory of your pantry before making your shopping list. If you purchased extra stuffing or cranberry sauce, plan a meal now to use it before it expires and you find it in the back of your pantry next December!
Consider donating non-perishable items to the food bank
Make a detailed shopping list prior to shopping and stick to it. Impulse buys can lead to waste.
Image via Wikipedia
Assess the quantity of fresh fruit and vegetables you toss out each week and reduce your purchases accordingly.
If you grow your own fruits and vegetables, you can give away the excess to neighbors or the food bank before it goes to waste.
Purchase in bulk at stores such as PCC or Whole Foods so you can buy the amount you need and avoid excess food and packaging. This is very helpful and cost-effective when purchasing spices you may only need for one recipe.
Check with the host before bringing perishables to a New Year’s party – if they have too much of an item, it’s likely to go to waste. Instead, consider bringing a pancake mix and syrup for the next day. It’s unique and will surely be happily consumed.

Remember that the best way to reduce food waste is before the food is purchased. Plan carefully so that you don’t overbuy and then you don’t have to spend New Year’s Day tossing out wilted lettuce and leftover stuffing. The best part is, you’ll be one step closer to your New Year’s resolution, saving more and spending less…right??? Just sayin’…

The Disposable Party: What’s an Environmentally Conscious Consumer to do?

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:38:00 +0000

Image by paparutzi via Flickr

Seriously, if you think about the offerings at a traditional party store and what consumers typically purchase for a party, especially a child’s party, the environmental impact is pretty insane. Let’s see…

Balloons? Check.
Paper invitations? Check.
Disposable plates, bowls, cups, napkins, cutlery? Check.
Disposable table cover? Check.
Disposable centerpiece? Check.
Wrapping paper? Check.
Ribbon? Check.

The amount of trash created at even the simplest party can be daunting and downright depressing to an environmentally conscious consumer. As consumers try to go green in every aspect of their lives, one of the toughest things can be giving up the convenience of disposable food containers, even if it’s just for a child’s birthday party once a year or a company picnic.

And the landscape of compostable products on the market can be dizzying and leave consumers feeling confused, overspent and frustrated when they find out their compostable plates aren’t actually compostable commercially.

But there are easy and inexpensive things you can do to reduce the cost and the waste from your parties and take it easy on the environment.
A few ideas that everyone can consider when hosting their next event are:

Purchase inexpensive, reusable plates, bowls, cups and cutlery. Ikea has a fun set that works great for kids’ parties as the multi-colored items work well with any theme. For an adult party or for older children, use what you have! Clean up is easy with a dishwasher or helping hands at the sink!
Stop by the local thrift store and pick up some funky, fun ceramic or BPA-free plastic tableware to use for your party. If you don’t have space to store them after the party, consider donating them to a local charity or selling them at a garage sale.

Remember that napkins are compostable! Salvage them from the trash bag and toss them in the yard waste bin or compost pile.
If you must use disposables due to the number of people being served, the logistics or kitchen amenities, consider purchasing fully compostable packaging AND making sure you have food waste collection bins set up so the packaging is captured and composted.
Managing food waste and ensuring it gets sorted properly can be a great job for an older child or a guest who offers to help.
Even though Cedar Grove is known for their compost, we actually have a line of fully compostable packaging for your entertaining needs at home or the office.
If you live in the Seattle area, you can place an order and pick it up at the warehouse in Seattle or order online! It’s important to know that just because a product indicates it is compostable, doesn’t mean it is compostable in the commercial compost facility in your area. For those of you in the Seattle or Portland areas, you can view the approved list of compostable packaging so that you are sure that the products will actually be composted and not diverted to a landfill after collection from your curbside.

For more ideas on eco-friendly entertaining, click here. We welcome your ideas for green parties so please comment and share your ideas.

Live Christmas Tree or Artificial?

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:58:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Every year, consumers are faced with the dilemma of whether to purchase a real, live Christmas tree or an artificial tree that can be used year after year. While the convenience of pulling the tree down out of the attic each year and the money saved by paying once for a tree that may last five years or more can be tempting, the best choice for the environment and your health is a live tree, preferably cut down with a forest department permit or cut from an organic tree farm.

While they are growing, real Christmas trees support life by absorbing carbon dioxide and other gasses and emitting oxygen. The farms that grow Christmas trees stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic greenbelts. Christmas trees are grown on soil that doesn’t support other crops.

Artificial trees are a petroleum-based product manufactured primarily in China-based factories. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the average family uses an artificial tree for six - nine years before throwing it away and it will remain in the landfill for centuries.

Real Christmas trees are renewable and biodegradable so they can easily be reused or recycled. Cedar Grove transforms live Christmas trees into compost for local residents to use in their gardens. And one has to admit, nothing beats the smell of a fresh Christmas tree on a winter day.

Want to really get your green on? Consider a living Christmas tree this year, and plant it once the holidays are over so it keeps on sucking up its share of carbon dioxide in the years to come. Choose a small, healthy, burlap-wrapped fir ($100-$150 from most nurseries), or consider alternative varieties, such as 2-foot rosemary bushes trimmed in the traditional Christmas tree shape ($17-$20), the perfect size for apartments with no room for a fully-grown cut tree. (and awesome

Look for trees that have been in their pots for a while, and avoid recently dug trees that may be under stress and won't appreciate being quickly moved indoors. Also, live trees can only stand being decked out in lights or near the fireplace for up to 10 days before being permanently damaged.

Swansons Nursery offer a wide selection of conventionally grown live firs (as well as a full range of cut trees) ranging from 2 feet to 7 feet, along with plenty of advice on how to care for a living tree.

If you decide to plant your living Christmas tree yourself, make sure you find the right spot. Most conifers require full sun and grow to a height of more than 150 feet. Seattle Tilth's Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline (info@lawnandgardenhotline.org) can give you great advice on proper transplanting techniques.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Artificial Tree vs. Real Tree: Pros and Cons (apartmenttherapy.com)

How do I care for my new "living Christmas tree"? (ask.metafilter.com)
Make your Christmas greener (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Focus on Farming in the Northwest

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 18:07:00 +0000

For the past seven years in Western Washington, a group of farmers and vineyard owners gathered together for a conference called Focus on Farming.

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

It is a conference held each year to provide support for those in the agricultural industry. The theme this year was "Get Up and Grow." The message of this year's conference was to become more proactive in the future of their industry to ensure they thrive in their businesses.

Hosted at the Tulalip Casino Resort, they showcased what our local farmers have to offer such as agritourism and government assistance programs for farms, as well as the future of the agricultural industry in Snohomish County. Students from schools around Snohomish County attended to learn what challenges and obstacles face them as they embark upon a bright future in Washington's diverse agricultural economy.

The conference truly exemplified their objective of focusing on farming. The chefs at the casino faced a great challenge - a lunch for 600 guests to be prepared with locally grown produce from the region. They didn't disappoint! The meal was spotlighted by the following local organic farmers and producers: Willie Green's Organic Farm, Carpinito Brother Farms, Alden Farms, San Juan Pasta Company, Yarmuth Farms, Macomber Farms, Full Circle Farms, and many more.

This event is a real eye opener to see what we as a region should be doing to promote "buy local." To give you an idea of what buying local can look like, here are some photos from the lunch.

Feasting in the Skagit Foodshed & Eat Local Northwest have a great list of local resources for all your grocery needs for this up coming Thanksgiving holiday.

Want to take it a step further? Puget Sound Fresh has a website where you can pledge to Eat Local for the holidays.

Bulb Lasagna? A Great Way for Spring Color

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:17:00 +0000

Bulb lasagna or bulb layering, not to be confused with lasagna gardening is a technique of layering bulbs in containers. Choose a variety of bulbs that bloom within a few weeks of each other and you can have continuous blooms for nearly two months next spring.

Also called the sandwiching system, the most important consideration in creating a bulb lasagna is to choose a container that is wide enough and deep enough. For example, a 10-inch deep container can hold two layers of bulbs and a 14-inch deep container will hold three layers of bulbs. Choose bulbs that have less foliage rather than more foliage as well as ones that grow to several heights such as tulips, narcissus, and grape hyacinth.

To layer, first place a layer of gravel across the bottom of the bottom, then a thick layer of Cedar Grove Potting Soil. Place the first layer of bulbs in the pot and cover with a layer of soil. Continue for the second, third, and fourth layers if you have them. Cover the final layer with a final layer of soil, as if you were planting outdoors. Come next spring you can enjoy a miniature bulb display on your patio, terrace, balcony, or front steps!

Don’t plant bulbs too close to the sides of the pot. (Don’t worry about crowding them together a bit.) Check the depth at which particular bulbs should be planted before you buy to make sure they will work with the container you’ve chosen.

We want to hear from you if you suspect an odor is coming from Cedar Grove's site.

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:10:00 +0000

In our ongoing evaluation, we need to know what odors you are experiencing. The best way for us to know this is through a direct call to our contracted odor specialists when you detect unpleasant smells you suspect are coming from Cedar Grove.

If the smells are confirmed as coming from our facility, we may be able to take immediate action if the odors result from a system upset.

Please note: we do not mean to discourage reports to the clean air agency, but they relay information to us on a weekly basis and this can mean a missed opportunity for us to deal with the issue in real time.

To report odors to independent, certified odor trackers

working with Cedar Grove's Everett operations staff.

Please call: 206 406 4586 OR 425 299 1300.

Fall is here in full force...are your gardens ready?

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:09:00 +0000

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

Have you ever driven up to your house and realized your flower beds have changed seasons without you? I had that lovely epiphany on Sunday. I looked around my yard and all my beautiful summer flowers were spent, my trees are turning colors, and my lawn looks tired!

How I could let this happen in the span of a few short weeks? To remedy my malaise with these withering blossoms, I pulled the cover off my pile of Cedar Grove's NW Garden Mulch and then drove to my neighborhood garden center. Right now you can find a lot of great fall colors and summer stock was on clearance (I got a dahlia for $2.50 that I would have paid triple for earlier in the year!). I replaced my summer containers with vibrant mums and purple asters. Another great pick up is the new ruffled winter pansies, lime green heuchera, and purple plume grass.

After planting my new plants and putting a good 3" layer of the NW Garden Mulch down around my plants, my landscape looks like a shiny penny!!

Now for my lawn. I picked up 1/2 yard of Cedar Grove Compost and raked it into my lawn, check out our how-to video on You Tube. I covered the grass and then raked vigorously until I could still see the blades of my grass. Now all I have to wait for is Mother Nature to take over and work it in. The grass will stay healthy through the fall and come back lush and green next spring.

For more tips and compost uses, join our e-mail list.

Remember: Fall is the second gardening season. Stay tuned for our next blog post when we talk about bulb planting season and dividing your plants before winter!

Cedar Grove thanks the community for coming to the Public Information Meeting!

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 22:19:00 +0000

Cedar Grove staff would like to thank those in the community that came to our meeting last night at Everett Station.

We are looking forward to more community dialogue and are committed to following up all the comments and inquiries we received. We appreciated the candid exchange and are certainly open to more of it. We hope that our presentation answered many of the questions you had about our expansion plans, and we also hope that we can engage in a more direct dialogue (in real time) when you believe you experience an odor is coming from

Cedar Grove. As stated in the meeting, Cedar Grove does not get odors reported to us from the air agency at the time they are actually happening. Our information from them is provided a week after it is reported. For that reason, we have employed independent,certified odor trackers to connect your complaints (when they happen) to our operations staff.

Odor specialists are working business days, off hours and on weekends to provide odor tracking. If you are not satisfied with the response from the odor specialists to your complaints we want you to tell us by e-mailing megane@cgcompost.com .

FORE!! Make your own golf oasis

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:50:00 +0000

Image by Cedar Grove Composting
via Flickr

It's time for the Boeing Classic again, and once again Cedar Grove is a sponsor. Not only are we doing the organic recycling & supplying compostable packaging, but we also have an informational booth you can visit. The booth is designed around a thought we had about literally building a Golf Oasis in your own backyard.

Using Cedar Grove Compost and it's excellent soils will help you build a healthy, thriving oasis that you can enjoy for years to come.

We built a putting green in the middle of a simple northwest garden designed by our staff horticulturist, Katie Bach. If you are an avid golfer and are thinking about practicing your putting in a tranquil area within your own back yard, this is a perfect layout for you.

Come join us for some great golf and beautiful scenery at the 2010 Boeing Classic at Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Course.

Here are a couple of Recycling Facts from the 2009 Boeing Classic:

Last year at the Boeing Classic over 92% of waste material at this event was recycled vs. being trucked 200 miles to a landfill.
Compostable packaging at this event allows 100% of the food scraps to be transformed into Cedar Grove Compost.
Over 17 tons of food scraps and packaging items are recycled at this event, avoiding the same carbon emissions produced by 3 automobiles in a year's time!

Small efforts make a huge impact on our environment. Thank you for doing your part!

Late Summer/Early Fall tips

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:55:00 +0000

With the recent heat wave, I am dreading working outside in my yard. Staying indoors with the air conditioner on seems more enjoyable than doing yard work in the scorching sun. I then take a look outside and remind myself of how beautiful my yard is when my flowers are bloomed, shrubs are neatly trimmed, and my lawn is free from weeds.

If you are like me and want to enjoy what little summer we have left, here are a few tips you can do to make sure your garden is looking its best for the upcoming fall.

Be sure to dead head and nip back your annuals. Give them a dose of organic, water-soluble fertilizer so they will come back again next year.

Dead head your rose bushes. They will be good for one or two more blooms, especially if we have another Indian summer. Some perennials will give you a second blooming if you cut them back.

How's your lawn surviving this summer? September is a great month to work on your lawn, regardless if it survived the heat or wilted away. If your lawn is still in tact, spread out some compost to amend the soil or to top dress it. If you plan on installing a brand new lawn, try using Cedar Grove Two-way Topsoil. It's ideal for installation of news lawns or even maintaining existing landscapes.

Happy gardening!

All You Can Shovel Compost Buffet

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:41:00 +0000

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

For all you die hard composters, we are offering a buffet with a Cedar Grove twist. Join us at our Woodinville Yard for an All you Can Shovel Buffet.

$10.00 pays your way, fun starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 1:00 p.m.

You get 1 hour at a time to shovel as much as you can, then you can come back for 2nds or 3rds or even 4ths!

Should be a great time. See you there.

Got the Summer Garden Blues?

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:08:00 +0000

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

At this time of year I find myself re-thinking my gardens. Either I'm bored looking at my spring design or all my annuals are done for the season. So it's time to put on the gardening thinking cap and make my summer garden glow!

July and August seem to be the perfect time to re-evaluate the early spring containers that once were full and add more color with annuals. Check your local nurseries with what they in stock. Start an herb garden, they have starts at all the local garden spots. Also don't forget the importance of a soaker hose!

Garden art also perks up the gardens. Visit local farmers markets or Sunday markets. The local art scene usually has some awesome garden art for a great price. And with the changing of the seasons you can find great deals at your garden centers as well.

Don't forget about the late season perennials too. Lift your spirits with a Dahlia, Peony, Mum or Aster. Dahlias come in all shapes, sizes and colors; they make a beautiful cut flower bouquet for that late summer dinner outside :) (Just don't forget your citronella candles)

It's almost time to start mulching your flower beds for winter. August isn't too early to get started! You can use Cedar Grove Compost or NW Garden Mulch and really make your new colors pop.

Spring, Summer, and fall all have their bright spots and lulls and being prepared for each makes gardening more fun and relaxing.

Cedar Grove Gives Back to the Community

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:46:00 +0000

Cedar Grove is a local company that gives back to the community by providing green jobs, supporting local schools and non-profits, donating to pea patches and food banks, and educating kids and adults on better environmental stewardship through recycling , composting, and innovations in compost applications. Here are just some of the many ways Cedar Grove has supported outlying communities in just the last two years.

Snohomish County

7th Ave SE Neighborhood Meeting. Everett. Education and complimentary compost bags.

ARTS Council of Snohomish County. Everett. Donation of free Cedar Grove Compost bags for Schack Art Center.

Bayside Bicenntennial Pea Patch. Everett. Compost donation for community garden to grow local, all-natural and healthy food.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church/Wilcox Farms. Marysville. Donated 90 yards to a community garden project to grow local, natural and healthy food for the community.

Boeing Health Fair. Everett. Educational booth to teach local Boeing workers about natural gardening and the importance of recycling in the community.

Campbell's Stock Pot United Way. Everett. Donation of bulk soils gift for fundraiser.

Cascade View Neighborhood Meetings. Everett. Education and complimentary product bags.

Cedarwood Elementary. Bothell. Bulk vegetable garden mix for school garden.

Delta Neighborhood Association. Education and complimentary compost bags..

ECEAP Healthy Families, Marysville, Everett and Arlington.Pre-School community gardens received vegetable growing soil for gardens.

City of Everett. Donation of potting soil bags and compostable packaging for public events to do education on sustainable communities.

Everett Art Space Project: The City of Everett Economic Development Office. Soils donation for river front restoration project.

Everett Senior Center. Potting soil bags donation.

Focus on Farming, 2009. Snohomish and Skagit Counties. Supplied local farmers over 1300 yards of free compost to work toward sustainable farming and food program for the Snohomish/Skagit/King county region.

Growing Groceries.

Interfaith Community Shelter

Interfaith Community Shelter. Marysville. Donation of soils to grow community food for homeless and battered women.

Jennings Park-Marysville. Since 2009, Cedar Grove has donated compost to the Master Gardeners to help keep the park naturally thriving so Marysville residents can enjoy a healthy park.

Marysville Cooperative Education Program. Donation of 5 yards of compost to annual spring auction fundraising event to support education programs in the community.

Marysville Transition Program. Marysville.Donation of bulk topsoil to their new garden. The students there have varying learning challenges. They learn life skills at this school. They, with the help of volunteers and donors, made raised beds and raised their own vegetables. They used this as a life skill lesson. The food not eaten by the students and their families, was donated to the Marysville Food Bank.

Master Gardeners, McCullen Park. 2010. Donation of compost pallets.

Mountainview High School, Marysville. 2010. Cedar Grove provided special discounts to the school on 115 yards of mulch needed for to ensure a recycled, all-natural, water-saving mulch could be applied around the campus.

Mukilteo Community Garden. Mukilteo. Donation of 11 yards of compost for the garden

Local Pea-Patch

Olivia Park Elementary School Gardens. Cooperative support for their rain garden installation.

The Orange Blossom Society. General donations.

Rotary Fall Auction, Marysville. Cedar Grove donates gift items annually to the fall auction to help serve local charities.

St. Joseph School Auction. Auction item donation.

Snohomish County Dahlia Society. Donation of product for growing media.

Snohomish County Sustainable Task Force. Support and host site for meetings.

Snohomish County Master Gardeners. Ongoing educational outreach and product support to tie community to recycling and natural gardening.

Sorticulture. 2007-2010. Annual title sponsor and educator for this annual gardening and arts event.

Stilly- Snohomish Fisheries. 2010. Donation of 10 yards compost to help support protection of vital fish habitat and keep streams healthy. The goal is to plant 1000 native plant seedlings to be used during a volunteer, stream side planting project along Allen Creek in Marysville to benefit fish, wildlife, and water quality.

King County

Boeing Classic PGA Event. Snoqualmie. Sponsor and donor in 2009-2010 for one of the highest recycling rates in national PGA event history.

Delridge Pea Patch. Seattle. Bulk compost given to community garden to amend existing soils.

Food Lifeline, 2010. Seattle. Underwriting sponsor and participant in annual corporate fundraising Food Frenzy drive.

Friends of the Cedar River. Maple Valley. Biorention soils and various bulk soil contributions.

Issaquah Salmon Days. Issaquah. Title sponsor and donor for 2009 award winning event striving for zero-waste.

Issaquah Schools. Issaquah. Donations of soil to all school gardens requesting assistance in growing crops for student gardens.

King County Master Composters. Educational support at annual trainings.

King County Master Gardeners. Ongoing educational outreach and product support to tie community to recycling and natural gardening.

King Street Co-op. Seattle. Donation of bulk soil amendments for community garden.

Seattle Children's Garden

Lakeshore Garden Club. Seattle.Potting soil donations.

Lake Wilderness Arboretum. Maple Valley. Donation of recycling services.for local arboretum.

Maple Valley Schools. Maple Valley. Donations of soil to all community and school gardens requesting assistance in growing crops for students or citizens within the community.

Mariners Earth Day Sponsor. Since 2008, annual support for Mariner's earth day game to teach attendees about recycling, community, and the impact of doing your part to keep waste out of landfills.

Marymoor Park. Compost donation to park projects.

Master Builders of King County. Host site for stormwater management courses done in conjunction with AGC and Seattle Public Utilities.

O-Dea High School. Annual auction donor.

City of Seattle, Compost Days 2010. Gave away over 25,000 bags of Cedar Grove product during joint co-op campaign to provide the community a gift back for the efforts to recycle while also reminding people pf the importance of using recycled compost in their gardens.

Seattle Tilth. Major annual donor for edible plant sale.

Marra Farms

Seattle Youth Garden Works. Primary donor of all soils (over 100 yards per year) to the Marra Farms project to provide work and housing to homeless youth in Seattle.

South Park Fresh Starts. Potting soil donation to south Seattle food growing program.

UW Botanical Gardens. Donation of soils for University of Washington on campus project.

Washington Cathedral. Soil donation for campus.

Washington Native Plant Society. Annual donations.

White Center Community Development. Bulk topsoil donation for community garden.

The Nature Consortium

Danny Woo Community Garden. Bulk soil donation for community garden.

Late Summer Season Veggie Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Grove Compost) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:18:00 +0000

Summer is finally here and it's time to shake up your garden beds for fall already! Now is the perfect time to plant your second round of veggies. You can plant more spinach, radishes, swiss chard, and all types of lettuce.

Ready to get started? Use Cedar Grove's Two-Way Topsoil and lightly cover the seeds 2-3 times their thickness. You will have a rewarding late summer fall garden.

Have Questions or need more tips? Post them here and we can help out.

Ciao & Happy Gardening!

Cedar Grove's Garden Spot

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