Boston Compost Certificate Program

Do you want to waste less and live more sustainably?

Join the Boston Compost Certificate Program, partnering with the City of Boston, to learn the hows and whys of composting in Boston.

This two-day training is designed to help you learn about the impact of food waste on the environment and its connection to climate change. Each module will include practical knowledge, hands-on activities, and guest speakers. This series will begin with a hands-on introduction to soil science at the Boston Nature Center, followed by field trips to Brick End Farm and The Urban Farming Institute.

Participants will experience hands-on composting and gardening techniques, and the program will conclude with an opportunity to explore individual and collective actions to support soil health and mitigate climate change.

This program is open only to Boston residents.

Participants are asked to schedule community service hours with a related organization as part of this course.

• Day 1Soil Science Location: Boston Nature Center Guest Speaker: Mass Audubon Teacher Naturalist Explore the living and non-living components of healthy soil and learn about the important role soil plays as a carbon sink in the fight against climate change.

• Composting 101 Location: Urban Farming Institute Guest Speakers: Urban Farming Institute Farm Staff Learn the benefits of different types of composting systems, including how to set up compost suitable for apartments, houses, community gardens, and farms! Participants will get the opportunity to set up their own vermicomposting bin that they can bring home!

• Day 2Large Scale Compost Location: Brick End FarmGuest Speaker: Brick End Farm StaffDiscuss large-scale composting and its challenges and successes. Learn how it can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change

• Climate Change and Compost Location: Boston Nature Center Guest Speaker: Mass Audubon Teacher Naturalist Discuss the connections between climate change and composting. The teacher naturalist will lead a climate cafe discussion and provide an opportunity to brainstorm individual, collective, and systemic changes that support solutions to current climate change issues.

Transportation available for field trips