Master Composter Course - 20 Hour Certification Course
Next Course Begins Tuesday September 23rd, 2008
Learn home composting techniques from trained Clean Calgary Association Master Composters and become one yourself! No experience necessary; just a willingness to learn. After completing the course, you will receive certification as a Master Composter.
Cost: $200 or $75 plus a 25 hour time commitment to volunteer ***Some subsidies available.
Next starts date: Tuesday, Sept 23rd, 2008 at 6:30pm. (Runs 6 consecutive Tuesday nights, except for Tues. Oct 7th, for 2.5 hours per night and includes two optional, but fun, field trips).
End date: Tuesday Nov. 4th is the last class. Saturday Nov. 8th, 2008 is an optional field trip and graduation lunch.
Location: Westwinds Superstore community room (Upstairs at the Superstore). The address is 3633 Westwinds Dr. NE.
Registration Notes: Course will run with a min. of 15 people and a max. of 30 people. Please register by Friday September 19th, 2008. Refunds will be provided to those who withdraw before 5pm Sept. 19th, 2008.
Please contact Lindsay @ (403) 230-1443 ext 225 or by email at lindsay@cleancalgary.org to register.
Details: With hands on training, you will learn how to use kitchen and yard waste to produce a valuable soil amendment for lawns and gardens. As a graduate Master Composter you will have the leadership skills to teach home composting to friends, neighbors and in the community.The course covers the following topics:
- Waste overview in Calgary
- Composting basics
- Hot composting
- Soil biology and macro organisms
- Vermicomposting
- Troubleshooting for composts
- Uses for finished compost
Field Trips: Wastewater Treatment Plant and one of the City's landfill.
Volunteer Commitment Option: Master Composters usually fulfill their volunteer hours by doing composting activities in their community. Activities are dependant on the interests and preferences of the Master Composter and can include:
- Composting education sessions for their local churches, at Clean Calgary Association’s EcoStore or for other community groups
- Working booths at gardening shows
- Looking after the Compost Hotline (a cell phone given to Master Composters for week long terms)
- Establishing a composting program at their neighborhood school or working with a Clean Calgary Association composting school
- Volunteering at Clean Calgary Association’s EcoStore
- Self-directed projects such as writing articles
Testimonials:
Dale Martin D'Silva, Master Composter 2006 Graduate - "The Master Composter course was very informative; a great opportunity to meet people in the community, have fun and learn how to make Calgary a little more environmentally friendly."
Bert Einsiedel, Master Composter 2008 Graduate - "Backyard and worm composting may appear intuitive and easy to learn. Some folks learn how to do them well through trial-and-learning, reading books, researching local library and Internet resources, and consulting experienced neighbors and friends. Having done all of these, I discovered that a more efficient and effective approach is to join a group of enthusiastic amateur composters who are motivated to learn about composting more systematically. A good composting course, I figured, should complement the self-directed learning activities that many folks engage in.
The Clean Calgary Association’s Master Composter course I took a year ago was an excellent overview for novice composters as well as a valuable refresher course for those who have composted successfully or otherwise. Four factors are worth mentioning.
Firstly, the course provided me with a great opportunity to put composting in Calgary’s waste management context. I have a better appreciation of not only how to produce compost successfully but also why home composting is one extraordinary activity that ordinary citizens can do to contribute in creating a sustainable city.
Secondly, the resource people were well-informed experts whose in-depth knowledge of their field and excellent presentation skills combined to make the course more effective.
Thirdly, the classroom-based learning activities were engaging, the field trips were memorable, and the camaraderie that occurred among the participants and instructors was next to none.
And, finally, the course opened up some opportunities to be actively involved in meaningful volunteer work in environmental conservation right here in Calgary. Well done, Clean Calgary Association!"
