And the winner is...the Revoy family!
The young family of four won the city’s Compost Challenge, which saw six Campbell River families document their trials and tribulations in being the top composter.
With the help of compost diva Elaine Jansen, the families embarked on a reality TV, 30-day compost journey between July 1 and Aug. 22.
Each family received an iPad to record their progress.
“The six families have done a great job of showing how easy it was to push through their composting barriers and bust can’t-do-compost myths,” says Amanda Taylor, compost challenge co-ordinator for the City of Campbell River.
“They really are community compost leaders, and their stories will inspire other Campbell River residents to start composting.”
At the end of the day, James and Cathy Revoy, along with daughters Jessica and Kate-Lynn, were selected by a panel of five judges as the winner of a $500 gift certificate to a grocery store of its choice.
All the participants received USB sticks with each family’s video footage and a free pass to next year’s Earth Week festivities.
The families also got to keep the iPads.
The Revoys were chosen based on compost quality – does it have the right layers, are there flies, or does it smell; reduction of garbage; and the entertainment value of the video produced by the family.
The Revoys learned how to properly compost and reduced their garbage by 23 pounds.
The Spetch family lowered its garbage consumption the most, from 54 pounds in week one to 21.2 pounds by week three.
Julina Spetch achieved the feat by putting her son in cloth diapers.
The competition wrapped up with a celebration barbecue at city hall Wednesday afternoon.
A short video clip conveyed the families’ journeys, from writing an original composting song, to taking their compost camping, to holding a mock Olympics. One family even dressed up the vegetables in its composter.
Footage from the Compost Challenge will become part of a professionally-produced film debuting in October 2012.
The film will be featured on Shaw TV, the city’s YouTube channel, and shown in local schools, at the 2013 community film awards and at next year’s Earth Week film festival.
The contest was coordinated by the City of Campbell River and sponsored by a grant from the Comox Strathcona Waste Management.
To view the family videos, go to 2012compostchallenge.blogspot.ca