The first of two videos based on Campbell River’s reality-TV style compost competition is ready to air.
After 30 days of steep learning curves and fierce competition this past summer, the composting stories of six families are revealed in a professionally-produced film. Campbell River Composts! documents the local drama of barriers, successes and solutions when it comes to composting and diverting waste from the landfill.
Campbell River Composts! is available for online viewing via the City’s YouTube channel (click on the link at www.campbellriver.ca or go to http://www.youtube.com/user/CityofCampbellRiver). People can also view the video when they visit the project blog: http://2012compostchallenge.blogspot.ca/.
The video was also aired on Shaw TV.
“A true tale of the trials and tribulations of composting, this video highlights the fun and the learning that unexpectedly occurs when a family comes together and begins composting. With these entertaining stories about how the families learned to compost, we hope other Campbell River residents will be inspired to start composting,” says Amanda Taylor, the City of Campbell River’s Compost Challenge Coordinator. “And news is spreading fast about the success of this challenge. The City was invited to present the video at the Coast Waste Management Association’s Annual Conference at the end of October in Victoria, where 350 delegates saw a snapshot of Campbell River’s waste reduction initiatives.”
In the first film, viewers get an overview of the different types of composters, and how much composting helped the families reduce the amount of garbage they had been sending to the landfill.
A debut from compost superhero “Compost Katie” shows how easy it is to begin composting, while the Spetch family was inspired to use cloth diapers to cut back on garbage.
Cathy Revoy, one of the Video Compost Challenge participants, summed up the challenge: “I think the biggest thing has been the whole paradigm shift in our family. The kids are on board – it’s not even a second thought. They know what they are doing and are excited about it – [Composting] has become the norm.”
“Each member of the family is being really conscious as to what is going into the garbage and what can be recycled,” added Rosanne Bains, another Video Compost Challenge participant.
This summer’s Video Compost Challenge was funded by the Comox Strathcona Waste Management Service. A composter rebate program running at the same time saw 160 composters picked up by local residents.