Long Beach residents will have an opportunity to study waste reduction strategies in-depth over an eight-week course organized by the Department of Public Works’ Environmental Services Bureau. The classes for the program will take place on eight consecutive Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon, starting on Feb. 9. To be certified as a Master Composter Recycler, students must attend at least seven out of the eight classes and volunteer for 25 hours.
Over the course of the eight weeks, those in the program will learn about recycling and composting through a combination of classroom lessons and hands-on experiences. The curriculum on recycling will go over recycling laws, recycling markets, the process of recycling and how to recycle properly in Long Beach. The program will primarily be taught by Dalia Gonzalez-Gaeta, Recycling Specialist for the Environmental Services Bureau, and other City staff. Experts on relevant topics will be brought in as guest speakers.
“Through this program, we are looking to bridge the gap between awareness and action by motivating communities, friends, families, co-workers, etc. to reduce waste in their homes and/or workplace and enhance the ability of the city to reach more people through the creation of a network that educates about these topics,” Gonzalez-Gaeta said. “Through this program, we hope to have participants from all over Long Beach join us and then take what they learn back to their communities.”