PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future

Compost Matters is a one-day conference taking place on February 10 that will look at the current state of composting in the Delaware Valley. With a focus on new developments in food-waste composting practices, the forum will bring together innovators, policy makers, and visionaries in the field, examining current barriers to food waste recovery, public policy issues, and successful models from the region and around the state.

Participants will learn about current opportunities for composting food waste and how to include food recovery efforts in their operations. Tours of local composting sites will be offered on Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning, February 13. Learn more and register to attend here.

8:00 – 8:45       Registration

8:45 – 9:00       Welcome
                         Nancy O’Donnell, PHS and Linda Knapp, ILSR

9:00 – 10:00   Keynote address; Growing Food and Community in the City
                        Will Allen, Growing Power

10:00 – 10:15  Break

10:15 – 10:45  Food Composting Projects in Pennsylvania
                        Patti Olenick and Carl Hursh, PA Department of Environmental Protection

10:45 – 11:15  Wilmington Organic Recycling Center: the Region’s Largest Composting Facility
                        Nelson Widell, Peninsula Compost Group

11:15 – 12:00 From Kitchen to Farm—A Composting Partnership
                        Ned Foley, Two Particular Acres, and Marvin Dixon, Four Seasons Hotel

12:00 – 12:45  Lunch (provided on site)

12:45 – 1:15   On-Site Commercial Composting
                        Maurice Sampson II, Niche Recycling, Inc.

1:15 – 1:45     The Journey to Sustainable Landscapes—Let’s go!
                        Mark Highland, Organic Mechanics Potting Soil

1:45 – 2:00      Break

2:00 – 2:45      Compost Policy Panel Discussion, with audience questions
                        Mike Giuranna, US Environmental Protection Agency/Region III
                        Patti Olenick and Carl Hursh, PA Department of Environmental Protection
                        Katherine Gajewski, Director of Sustainability, City of Philadelphia
                        Moderator: Nora Goldstein, Editor, BioCycle magazine

2:45 – 3:00    Closing remarks
                        Katherine Gajewski, Director of Sustainability, City of Philadelphia

4:00 – 5:00     Tour of Moravian Court
                        University of Pennsylvania campus, 34th & Spruce streets