Artist Feature – Long Beach Community Compost

In celebration of Earth Day, we sat down with our good friends at Long Beach Community Compost to get them to dish the dirt
on the beauty of compost and show us just how to get our hands dirty alongside them in the name of sustainability.

What inspires you the most when working with compost?

-Katherine Moreno: Composting inspires me because composting allows me to show my respect to food that went uneaten. One of my biggest pet peeves is waste! And composting ensures that the nutritional value of our food doesn’t go to waste. If the nutrients don’t end up providing for our bodies, they provide for the soil instead. There’s no greater motivation than knowing that I can help facilitate with breaking down our organics through this beautiful, healthy, and natural cycle.

Describe the process of how someone should go about starting to make their own compost?

-Mark Haprov: Take a course or workshop to learn the basics and read books on composting. Ask your neighbors if they’d like to participate. If you have the space, start with an enclosed composting system to minimize any pest issues. If you don’t have the space, look into vermicomposting or join a local community composting site, like Long Beach Community Compost. Find an experienced composter to ask questions and review your process.

Name one song or band that embodies Long Beach Compost

-Celeste Mendez: “Take it Slow” by Ras G (Rest in Beats). This beat is just an entire vibe and listening to it matches the energy we reciprocate with each other. We strive to stay in collaborative harmony.

Tell us something about Long Beach Community Compost we might not know about?

The community compost project is operated by all volunteers. It was started by Mark Haprov in a vacant lot in North Long Beach and we eventually moved to a vacant patch of land in Willow Springs, in partnership with the Office of Sustainability -Kirk Kunihiro

What do we have to look forward to when it comes to your business?

-Andi Svenneby: As we grow our volunteer base, you can look forward to more drop-off times and locations across the city. Let’s create soil, not smog! Our biggest project in the works is establishing our non-profit status. Be on the lookout for fundraisers and other ways you can support our mission to encouraging a deeper human connection through decentralized community composting.

Is there anything else you want to add?

-Celeste Mendez: Come volunteer when you have time. You don’t need to know anything about composting to join us —Anybody can compost. This summer, bring your kids, friends, family. Experience natural bonds through community composting.

Address: 2714 California Ave

Drop-off and Volunteer Times:

Friday: 8-9:30 AM

Sunday: 10-11:30AM

Follow our movement on Instagram: @lbcommunitycompost