November 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 65

Disposal costs and the environmental impacts of transporting
waste are real issues faced by park
managers every day. At the same
time, urban park operators maintain
many cultivated landscapes, from
play fields to community gardens.
This often requires the input of fertilizers, pesticides and other products to maintain these landscapes.
Not only can these inputs be expensive, they often offer no benefit to, or
can even hinder, the conservation of
soils and water use.
Finally, many parks use energy
for lighting facilities into the night,
and heating and powering community centers, restrooms and other
buildings. Power sources are often
from fossil fuels and add more cost
to budgets.

Disposal costs and the
environmental impacts
of transporting waste
are real issues faced by
park managers every
day.
What Can Organic Waste Do for You?
Distributed energy systems and local waste management solutions
like anaerobic digestion and modular composting can offset these negatives, while providing even greater
benefits. Biogas may be used onsite
for electricity, heat or even fuel for
maintenance vehicles. Compost can
serve as a great source of nutrients
to landscapes and community gardens and promote excellent drainage in play fields. For areas being
rehabilitated back to a natural state,

compost can aid growth
of natural vegetation
while controlling erosion and runoff, and
conserving topsoil, important nutrients and
water. And of course,
these useful products
are made onsite from
waste that would otherwise have to be trucked
to distant disposal sites.
Finally, waste management solutions located
within the boundaries
of parks offer an opportunity to impact visitor
choices beyond their
borders through signage
and tours, school field
trips and any other visitor engagement.
Get Started!
So then, really, why waste? Why
waste an apple core that can power
a building? Why throw away leaves
and grass that can conserve and protect our natural environment? Why
dump in a landfill a ham sandwich
that could teach us all a thing or two
about how we can each take part in
the solution?
I can't think of a reason either. If
you are interested in taking part, the
first step is to understand your park
or recreation area's needs:
1. Perform a waste audit. Sort out
what your visitors leave behind to
estimate what could be diverted to
composting or anaerobic digestion.
On average in the U.S., 2.2 pounds
of organic waste per person is sent
to the landfill every day.
2. Evaluate your site. In particular,
urban park operators should get
to know their neighbors and assess their space constraints. Some

of the smallest anaerobic digestion
and modular composting models
can fit on 800 square feet.
3. Calculate your cost. Find out how
much you spend on waste collection and disposal, fertilizers and
other landscaping products, and
energy. Avoided costs and new income streams can lead to a positive
return on investment in five years.
4. Find your footing. In addition to
promoting the central tenant of
conservation, sustainable waste
management can be leveraged for
education, job creation, training
and a host of other activities. What
value-adds apply to you?
For more information, and to explore the possibilities at your park
or recreation area, visit www.impactbioenergy.com.
Elizabeth Lowell is an Advisor and Urban
Organics Subject Matter Expert to Impact
Bioenergy (info@impactbioenergy.com).

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Parks & Recreation

November 2014 - Parks & Recreation

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