Calling all engineers and environmentalists, designers and dirt nerds! The Office of Sustainability and the Philadelphia Food Policy Advisory Council (FPAC) want YOUR ideas for how to make a compost system to serve Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.

FPAC recognizes the importance of community composting as an important part of a more sustainable Philadelphia. Compost is the nutrient-rich, earthy-smelling material created by the managed decomposition of organic material. Composting is already happening in Philadelphia’s backyards and businesses, but many people don’t have the space or know-how to compost themselves. That’s where community composting comes in. Community composting transforms organic matter into valuable soil amendments, keeps organic waste out of the landfill, and engages communities through participation and education.

FPAC identified the need for a design of an affordable, neighborhood-scale, in-vessel composting system that could be used by schools and organizations interested in starting their own community composting systems. This compost system would need to be rodent-proof, able to operate year-round in Philadelphia’s climate, and simple enough to make long-term maintenance by a community organization feasible.

FPAC’s Zero Waste Subcommittee is hosting a design competition and is soliciting ideas from local technical schools, engineering programs, environmental groups, and other interested parties. The subcommittee convened a group of local composting experts to develop specifications for designs and is working with regional partners to promote, fund, and support the competition.

The deadline for design entries is March 15. Learn more at www.phillyfpac.org/compost.