BILLINGS — The Billings Parks Natural Resources Division has been running a composting program for the last six years. This year, the programs is bearing fruit of the labor, and the city is donating the compost to the Amend Park community garden.
Nick Miller, forester natural resources supervisor, said that they started the program by asking themselves a couple of questions.
“Why don’t we compost, and can we compost?” Miller said Wednesday.
Watch Nick Miller talk about the compost program:
Billings business contributing compost to Billings Parks Natural Resources Division
The program creates compost from materials found within the parks systems and local businesses that donate compost.
Miller said that they know exactly what goes into their compost.
“We’re pulling stuff out of the parks that we know hasn’t been treated with herbicides or pesticides. And then we get to use that. So it’s kind of a really nice way for us to control and maintain what goes into these piles,” Miller said.
These piles take time to build up due to the decomposition of the materials.
The initiative has grown significantly since its inception, and the city is celebrating the donation back to the community garden.
By creating their own compost, Miller said that they are saving money by eliminating the need to purchase compost from outside sources.
“We just have to come here on our own property, load it up, and then drive it out to the parks,” Miller said.
Local businesses in Billings contribute to the effort by providing waste materials that are compostable.
“Every week it gets fed with stuff from local businesses, which I think is a really cool aspect of it too. It involves members of the community,” Miller said.
Fresco Juice Co. in downtown Billings is one business participating in the program. General Manager Beth Lusin has seen the benefits firsthand.
“Nick comes in and gets our pulp compost every Monday, and he’s been for a couple of years now,” Lusin said.
The company generates roughly 40 pounds of waste from operations every week.
“It’s a great way to just cut down on your waste and keep using the same products over and over,” Lusin said.
Comments are closed.