HOUSE RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING MAY 3-9, 2026, TO BE COMPOSTING AWARENESS WEEK IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, the official text

H8515 2026 -- H 8515 ======== LC006029 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N PROCLAIMING MAY 3-9, 2026, TO BE COMPOSTING AWARENESS WEEK IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND Introduced By: Representatives Cortvriend, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, McGaw, Carson, Boylan, Fogarty, Ajello, and Fellela Date Introduced: May 05, 2026 Referred To: House read and passed 1 WHEREAS, Each year, Composting Awareness Week is celebrated nationwide during 2 the first full week of May with the goal of raising public awareness of the environmental, 3 economic, and societal benefits of composting; and 4 WHEREAS, Compost is a mixture of organic materials such as yard trimmings, 5 vegetable and fruit peels and scraps, other food waste, flowers, eggshells, paper products, 6 nutshells, sawdust, wood chips, biosolids, manure, hay shavings, and leaves. These materials are 7 rich in moisture and nutrients, and when added to the soil in gardens, farms, and landscapes, they 8 enhance plant growth, soil structure and overall ecosystem health; and 9 WHEREAS, By retaining and transferring moisture through the soil to plants, 10 composting minimizes the need for irrigation, reduces water usage by up to 30 percent, conserves 11 water during droughts, and prevents flooding by retaining water that would otherwise enter drains 12 and sewers; and 13 WHEREAS, Rich in both nutrients and beneficial organisms, compost supports plant 14 health and growth, soil biodiversity, as well as organisms such as worms, centipedes, spiders, 15 beetles, and fungal mycelium. This minimizes the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, 16 thereby reducing soil and water pollution; and 17 WHEREAS, Composting reduces waste by reusing and recycling organic materials, 18 which make up approximately 30 percent of all materials sent to landfills, and can help 19 communities that implement composting programs to efficiently divert waste from landfills and 1 promote more sustainable practices; and 2 WHEREAS, The beneficial organisms and microbes in compost also sequester and retain 3 carbon in the soil, helping to prevent carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases, from 4 being released into the atmosphere in large amounts due to decomposing waste in landfills; and 5 WHEREAS, Incorporating compost into certain public works projects, such as the 6 construction and improvement of parks, trails, highways, and green spaces, can lead to large-scale 7 reductions in pollution, help to prevent climate change, and lead to the creation of green jobs; 8 now, therefore be it 9 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 10 proclaims May 3-9, 2026 to be Composting Awareness Week and respectfully urges the 11 Governor and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to observe the week 12 with appropriate activities and programs. We, moreover, encourage all Rhode Islanders to start 13 composting and help build a healthier, more sustainable environment for all; and be it further 14 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 15 transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Daniel McKee, Governor of the 16 State of Rhode Island, and Terrence Gray, Director of the Rhode Island Department of 17 Environmental Management. ======== LC006029 ======== LC006029 - Page 2 of 2