County waste department to provide free composting and green cleaning classes on Saturday in Wildomar

The Riverside County Department of Waste Resources will host free backyard composting and green cleaning classes in Wildomar on Saturday (July 28).

Attend a “how-to” class to learn how to recycle organic resources such as yard trimmings, and fruit and vegetable waste into a dark, crumbly, sweet-smelling soil conditioner.  Compost can be used to enrich the soil in gardens, lawns and house plants.  Instead of putting organic waste into the garbage to be hauled to the landfill, learn to compost.

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It’s a great way to turn waste into a beneficial soil amendment. In composting, organic material is mixed together in a pile or bin, where literally millions of tiny microbes digest the material and turn it into a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Low-cost compost bins ($12 each), subsidized by the department, also will be available for purchase by Riverside County residents (limit three per household). County residents can purchase compost bins by cash or Visa/MasterCard (75-cent processing fee applies).

Green Cleaning teaches residents the benefits of using sustainable, environmentally sound cleaning practices.  Presenters explain how to simplify your cleaning products, save money, and make your home a safer environment.  The class demonstrates how easy it is to make cleaning products from ingredients most people already have in their home, such as vinegar, baking soda, and rubbing alcohol.  Participants will receive a booklet that contains basic recipes to make their own cleaning products at home.  The result is simple cleaning products that leave less chemical residue behind on surfaces where food is prepared, children crawl, or pets walk.

The free backyard composting class begins at 10 a.m. and the green cleaning class begins at noon at Wildomar Library, 34303 Mission Trail.

The Riverside County Department of Waste Resources provides free classes in an effort to reduce waste, help preserve valuable space in county sanitary landfills, and to reduce the amount of chemical waste residents bring to the Household Hazardous Waste collection program for processing and disposal.

For more information, contact Riverside County Department of Waste Resources at (951) 486-3200 or visit:http://www.rcwaste.org/.