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City of Seattle

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Mike McGinn, Mayor

NEWS ADVISORY

SUBJECT: Saturday’s “Big Dig” Celebrates Seattleites for Diverting 125,000 Tons of Food and Yard Waste

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
4/11/2012  4:00:00 PM

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
SPU Customer Service  (206) 684-3000

Saturday’s “Big Dig” Celebrates Seattleites for Diverting
125,000 Tons of Food and Yard Waste
Free Cedar Grove Compost, $6,000 in Prizes Offered at Public Celebration

In the last two years, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Cedar Grove have given away 30,000 bags of free compost. This Saturday, April 14, starting at 1:00pm, they are prepared to give away even more at a fun celebration called the “Big Dig” happening at Seattle Tilth’s Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands located at 5513 S Cloverdale Street..

All Big Dig event attendees will receive a coupon for a free bag of Cedar Grove compost and a chance to be one of the 20 lucky contestants who will dig through a 45-yard-mountain of compost for hidden treasure—including a $3,000 yard makeover!  Gardening celebrity Ciscoe Morris will be on-hand as the event emcee and Seattle Tilth and Cedar Grove will host garden educational booths.

“Thanks to the amazing dedication of our residents, Seattle is a leader in yard and food waste collection,” commented Tim Croll, SPU Solid Waste Director. “From 2001 to 2011, the city increased its overall organics diversion from 52,000 tons to more than 125,000 tons a year. That’s a great reason to celebrate.”

More than 140,000 single-family households and businesses are participating in Seattle’s food and yard waste collection program. In 2011, Seattle required all multi-family properties to provide food and yard collection service to their tenants.

“Cedar Grove is excited to partner with Seattle Public Utilities in this important effort,” said Susan Thoman with Cedar Grove. “Compost helps minimize water usage and adds beneficial microbes, nutrients and structure to the soil to create more sustainable and healthy gardens. It also helps prevent erosion and protects Seattle's rivers, lakes and watersheds from pollutants.”

The Big Dig is part of Compost Days, a celebration of Seattle’s food and yard waste composting by offering the biggest discounts of the year on compost and kitchen scrap composting products. 

Check cedar-grove.com or call 1-877-764-5748 for more information on the Big Dig.

Learn more about Seattle Public Utilities.

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In addition to providing a reliable water supply to more than 1.3 million customers in the Seattle metropolitan area,  SPU provides essential sewer, drainage, solid waste and engineering services that safeguard public health, maintain the City’s infrastructure and protect, conserve and enhance the region's environmental resources.

—SPU—

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