UTA Libraries is giving the Dirt on Composting

UTA Libraries is partnering with Dallas-based company Turn Compost to educate students about the importance of sustainable living through smart cooking methods and composting. The event will take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 12, at the Central Library. 

Grace Backus, a Library Specialist with the Experiential Learning and Outreach Department, stated that the Turn Compost event would give students the knowledge to make the most of the food they use daily. 

"We have a lot of food waste in our country, which is a big problem because all that extra food is decomposing, releasing carbon into the atmosphere," Grace said. "With events like Maverick Kitchen and Turn Compost, we are showing how we can use this food to its fullest ability and not waste any of it." 

Turn Compost's mission is to reduce and recycle food waste across the DFW Metroplex. They work with businesses and households to reduce their environmental impact by collecting organic waste and transporting it to local farmers and other partners who recycle it responsibly. Turn Compost also works to educate and consult on sustainability practices related to the food cycle. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture website stated that U.S. food waste is estimated at between 30 to 40% of the food supply. This is based on USDA estimates of 31% food loss at the retail and consumer levels. This added up to approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food in 2010. 

The demonstration event led by Turn Compost will teach attendees, when they create a meal in the kitchen, how to use all the ingredients in the dish to their fullest extent, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. Food samples will be available during the demonstration. The demonstration takes students from the kitchen to the composting bin. 

Grace shared that in previous Turn Composting events, one of the items used to demonstrate this was a bell pepper. 

"We talked about harvesting the seeds from the bell peppers and what part of the peppers are edible. You can actually eat (a lot of parts) that people throw away," Grace said. "We talked about the different parts of the bell pepper that are compostable and went through all the steps of cutting them up to use to their fullest extent." 

No registration is required to attend the event, but it is on a first-come, first-serve basis. More information about the event can be found online at https://mavorgs.uta.edu or through the UTA Libraries' social media channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Questions about the Turn Compost event can be emailed to elo_tl@UTA.edu.