Recommended Reading and Web Links
King County Solid Waste Division
Visit www.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste for information about King County reuse, recycling, waste reduction, and garbage programs and services.
Great site for a wealth of composting information, products list, build a bin designs, message board and more!
This site is intended to serve as a hub of information for anyone interested in the various aspects of composting.
Consumer Habits
www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/ecoconsumer/calculator.asp
“King County's Waste Calculator Tool” – Learn about how your everyday choices add up in the landfill for King County and all of Washington State.
“The Great Green Web Game” – Test your knowledge on how consumer choices affect the environment.
“The Center for New American Dream” – This organization helps Americans consumer responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice.
A website test to check your “ecological footprint.” See how much of the worlds resources you are responsible for consuming, and find out ways to minimize your own footprint.
“Seventh Generation” – Company website for Seventh Generation products. This website also provides plenty of great information on how to reduce the toxicity of products used in households, and how to minimize the effects of cleaning products on the environment.
Gardening Sites
Website for Ciscoe Morris, host of KIRO’s “Gardening with Ciscoe.” Local information available on garden tours, where to get rain barrels, plant sales and more!
Household Hazardous Waste/Healthy Homes
Click here to learn more about King County programs aimed at decreasing hazardous materials in the landfill. Includes a link to the Household Hazardous Wastemobile and other valuable information for your household health.
“Washington Toxics Coalition” – Local organization dedicated to protecting public health and the environment through the promotion of alternatives to the use of toxics in the home, school, workplace and beyond.
www.alaw.org/ air_quality/master_home_environmentalist/
“American Lung Association, Master Home Environmentalist Program” – Similar to the MRC training, these “MHEs” are given a 35-hour training on the latest information regarding to indoor air quality and environmental health. From this site, request a Home Assessment (HEAL), find out about the program, and see more links.
Kids Sites
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms/index.html
“Adventures of Squirmin’ Herman the Worm” – A fun site for kids to learn all about worms and why it’s important to use them for composting. Follow Herman as he takes you through his family tree, anatomy and other fun facts.
“Kids Saving the Planet” – “Our mission at this non-profit organization is to increase youth participation in environmental education through the use of games, celebrity endorsements and entertaining activities.”
“ King County’s Kids Page” – Links to recycling and solid waste information for kids. Looks at what is in our garbage, where our garbage goes, and what kids can do to help decrease the amount of garbage we produce.
“EPA’s site for kids” – Great site for kids, teachers and parents to teach and learn about various aspects of the environment from the importance of recycling to how to keep our waters clean.
Professional/Technical Sites
Washington’s trade organization dedicated to the support and promotion of all aspects of organics recycling. This site will acquaint you with the basics of large scale composting and organic recycling activity and provide links to more detailed information.
The US Composting Council is involved in research, public education, composting and compost standards, expansion of compost markets and the enlistment of public support.
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/compost/
Believe it or not, compost can be used for: Bioremediation and pollution prevention, disease control for plants and animals, erosion control and landscaping, composting of contaminated soils, reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization.
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas is a national sustainable farming information center. Go to the site map & check out their links.
www.toastmasters-d2.org/ClubFinder.php
“Toastmaster’s Group” – This website allows you to find the Toastmasters group nearest to your location. Toastmasters groups are dedicated to help individuals improve their presentation skills. These skills come in handy when giving presentations for the MRC program!
Recycled Products
“Bedrock industries: Specializing in trash beautification” – A company that recycles materials into art/hand made useful products instead of allowing these same materials to be thrown away. Glass and metal headed for the landfill instead made into candleholders, plates & more. Check out their creative line of products and help close the loop!
“Amazing Recycled Products” – This site offers a diverse range of recycled products from pencils made with jean material to landscaping timbers. A great place to find any recycled-content item for your company to imprint with your logo, or to use at your own home
Recycling Resources
“Earth’s 911” – This website’s mission is to “empower the public with community-specific resources for recycling and pollution prevention and [teach] how we can all do our part in protecting the environment.” A place to find out where you can recycle specific items.
www.govlink.org/hazwaste/business/imex/
“Industrial Materials Exchange” – This is a free service to match businesses that have waste or by-products in the Pacific NW with other businesses who need these products.
“1-800-RECYCLE” – Department of Ecology’s database for recycling assistance, links to recycling events, FAQs, and other recycling opportunities.
“Washington State Recycling Association” – One of the oldest state recycling organizations in the county, WSRA represents a range of recycling industries to help promote a commitment to recycling throughout the state.
“National Recycling Coalition” – A non-profit organization dedicated to spreading the word about recycling, source reduction, composting and reusing through various trainings, education and outreach throughout the country.
www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/wdidw/index.asp
“What do I do with…?” – King County Solid Waste Division’s resource list of how to best dispose of a variety of different materials, ranging from construction to food wastes. Make sure to check the appropriate box for either business or residential waste, as the resources given on disposal options are different.
www.colorado.edu/cure/recycling_facts/
Colorado University Recycling Facts – this page provides a long list of interesting recycling information – great for trivia!
Regional Information
Organic gardening, urban ecology, composting, recycling and more!
http://zoo.org/zoo_info/special/zoodoo.htm
Zoo Doo is a fully composted blend of animal manures mixed with straw bedding, grass, leaves and wood chips from the grounds of Woodland Park Zoo.
www.compostwashington.org/soilss2.asp
Explore the link between salmon recovery and healthy soil.
Soil-Related Sites
Developing a good soil food web is why we compost! Meet the bacteria, fungi, nematodes and their friends & relatives in the photo gallery. If you only look at one compost website, pick this one!
“Soil and Water Conservation Society” – Local and national information on the latest efforts to preserve soil and water health.
Water-Related Sites
www.lakesamm.com/watershedwaltz/toc.asp
“The Watershed Waltz & the Sammamish Swing” – Fun facts and ways you can help maintain the health of our local lakes and streams.
“Friends of the Cedar River Watershed” – Learn about the watershed that feeds 70% of Seattle’s water supply and is home to many of our local salmon varieties. Become a volunteer, read more about the organization, sign up for the newsletter, or see when tours are scheduled.
Worm Sites
Duck Bay Worm Farm is located in beautiful Port Orchard and run by a Kitsap Master Composter. Need worms? Look no further.
You will find lots of free articles and information here about using redworms for ecology and profit.
Happy D Ranch is nestled in the heart of the agricultural land in the beautiful Central Valley of California. The ranch is not only home to tens of thousands of worms, but also to a menagerie of dogs, chickens, cats and a very nice family. Saddle up and head on over.
Worm Digest is a quarterly newspaper about worms and worm composting on all levels world-wide.
http://yucky.kids.discovery.com
Bills itself as the yuckiest site on the internet. Designed for kids, but useful for adults.
Mary Applehof, author of “Worms Eat My Garbage”, hosts her personal website created to provide information and resources on worm composting.