MRC Continuing Education
Continuing education
opportunities are available to all Master Recycler Composter volunteers
who have completed the annual 40-hour standard training. These free opportunities are provided periodically throughout the year as an
interactive way to keep MRCs informed of contemporary developments
in the composting and recycling fields. Continuing education events
help to update the volunteers on current happenings in the region,
encourage sustained involvement in the program, and engage individual
interests. These events take a variety of forms and may include,
but are not limited to, a tour of a recycling facility, a closer
look at the creation of commercial compost, or a conversation with
a soil expert.
King County Master Recycler Composter
Continuing Education Events
There are currently no Continuing Education events scheduled for 2010.
Please see the Mini-Trainings Page for other opportunities.
Continuing Education Opportunities
- Current Opportunities
- Green Building & Remodeling
- Electronic Recycling Tour
- Cedar River Watershed Tour
- Woodland Park/Cedar Grove Tour
Below are descriptions of past continuing education events. We will announce upcoming opportunities for the 2011 volunteer season soon. If you have an idea for another continuing education event or would like to repeat one of the past continuing education classes, please e-mail vc@mrcvolunteer.org.
Green Built Homes Tour: The Zero Energy Idea House at Bass Cove 
JMRCs had a chance to tour Issaquah Highlands, an "urban village" consistently recognized by experts for its unique and environmentally friendly approach to development. We also visited the High Point Community in Seattle, and toured Neighborhood House's new community center. All homes at High Point meet a minimum of Built Green 3-Star standards, with many achieving 4-Star level and ENERGY STAR® certification.
"Whether it's to save money, cut our dependence on foreign oil, or slow the effects of global warming, homeowners are increasingly interested in energy efficiency...smart choices can result in a home that minimizes energy use while maximizing comfort and style."
-http://zeroenergyideahouse.com
Cedar River Watershed Tour
MRCs enjoyed a spectacular tour of the Cedar River Watershed, the source of 70 percent of the Seattle area's drinking water. This 3-hour interpretive journey by chartered bus was guided by Seattle Public Utilities naturalists and allowed MRCs to explore the 91,339-acre protected watershed which is closed to unauthorized public access.
The Cedar River Watershed is owned by the City of Seattle and drains into the Cedar River. The watershed is carefully managed to supply clean drinking water to 1.3 million people in the greater Seattle area. We hope you will join us for this unparalleled opportunity to experience a very special place. Please bring a brown bag lunch.
Green Building and Remodeling
King County Green Building Specialist Patti Southard presented on green building and the incentives that are available to help you save resources while creating a beautiful, healthy home. Patti's presentation covered the fundamentals of green building, the benefits--environmental, economic, and social--of building green, and incentives in King County for building green, including the NEW Eco-Cool Remodel Tool. MRCs also received a guided, hands-on tour of the new ecohaus store located in Bellevue (formerly named the Environmental Home Center), including an interactive design showroom featuring innovative materials for creating a beautiful, healthy home. Participants got to see and feel the products first-hand and compare choices of sustainable building materials, including FSC Certified PureBond plywood, 100% wool carpets, recycled steel and PaperStone countertops. Thanks to Patti Southard and ecohaus for a wonderful event!
"e-junk": Electronic Recycling Tour at Total Reclaim
Did you know that many of your home computer components contain toxic materials that could be released into the environment if not handled properly? According to the state 
Department of Ecology, Washington residents toss out more than a million TVs and computer monitors each year. Cast-off cell phones, printers, keyboards, fax machines, laptops and other electronic products are also on the rise, contributing to the 2 million tons of “e-junk” tossed out each year in the United States. On June 26th, we got the chance to take a behind the scenes look at Total Reclaim's recycling process. Many thanks to our tour guide, Craig Lorch, co-owner of Total Reclaim!
Woodland Park Zoo Doo and Cedar Grove Compost Tour
A group of MRCs visited two of our region’s innovative composting programs. We were given an exclusive tour of the Woodland Park’s famous Zoo Doo compost facility, which is responsible for creating the most exotic compost available in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the Cedar Grove Composting facility in Everett.
Special thanks to Darcy Batura of WSU King County Extension and all of the 2007 tour guides for a fantastic set of continuing education events. Keep an eye on this page for updates on the 2008 continuing education offerings.