SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Locals’ love for the environment is evergreen.
Reno-Tahoe citizens enjoy and fiercely protect the natural resources that make our home a treasure. We do this by supporting clean, green, and sustainable practices, policies, and companies. And we have numerous opportunities in our backyards to transform the region into a cleaner, more eco-conscious place, from recycling and driving low-emission vehicles, to purchasing eco-friendly products and services.
To honor national Earth Day on April 22, we at edible Reno-Tahoe celebrate individuals and organizations that help to lead green efforts in our area.
Back to the soil
Full Circle Soils & Compost has become a household name for Northern Nevadans who seek the finest all-natural compost, soil blends, and mulches. The company’s agriculture and sustainability roots stretch back more than 20 years.
According to Cody Witt, the Northern Nevada director who calls himself “strategic everything” for FCSC, the organization now runs compost sites in Northern Nevada, Las Vegas, and Wyoming.
“Full Circle, at our Carson location, is now recycling around 25 million pounds (1,000 full-sized school buses) of organic waste per year, keeping it out of the landfill and turning these materials into awesome compost, soils, and mulches,” Witt says.
The company’s eco-friendly services also include soil testing and health services, organic materials recycling services for commercial clients, waste consulting, and recycling program implementation.
The company happily lends its green thumb to the University of Nevada, Reno as well. UNR recycles the green waste generated on campus with FCSC, which in turn composts the waste, and the compost is used to reseed and fertilize the entire campus.
A tractor turns compost at Full Circle Soils & Compost in Gardnerville
Great Basin Community Food Co-op in Reno was one of the first organizations in our community to purchase FCSC’s bagged products. The two eco-leaders have grown in tandem, with the co-op now not only being one of FCSC’s leading bagged sales distributors, but also using the compost to grow its in-house edible landscape.
Caring for our most precious resource
Truckee Meadows Water Authority isn’t just the utility that treats our drinking water. It also helps to lead our community in year-round water conservation, conservation advocacy, environmental education, eco-conscious landscaping, clean energy, and the ongoing struggle to combat water pollution.
Community members may know that TMWA stays vigilant in notifying customers of unknown sprinkler leaks and easy repair methods during the summer months. Laine Christman, resource economist/conservation supervisor at TMWA, says water conservation is a daily concern, independent of the season. It also helps retain our region’s water supply by providing water usage audits to those who suspect leaks during the colder months, helping them avoid burst pipes.
Home gardeners and those curious about home gardening can benefit from TMWA’s workshops, which educate customers about landscaping and irrigation needs.
The organization also is a major contributor to our local Earth Day events by providing conservation education materials such as tree-care guides and green landscaping ideas.
The year 2018 marked the inaugural year of Smart About Water Day. TMWA hosted this event to educate families about water conservation practices. Look out for it again this year on Sat., May 4 at Idlewild Park in Reno.
TMWA supports Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful’s Adopt a Section of the Truckee River. TMWA volunteers commit to at least two river cleanup days each year
As if it weren’t already doing enough, TMWA also has gone to great lengths to produce clean power via its three hydroelectric plants located upstream of Reno on the Truckee River.
“The hydro plants harness the natural flow of the Truckee River and are capable of generating 6.7 megawatts of power annually, or enough energy for 3,500 households,” Christman says.
He explains that last year the plants generated an all-time-high of $3.7 million in power revenues, offsetting almost all of TMWA’s power costs. TMWA’s ability to generate a large portion of its own energy allows it to pass those savings along to customers and help the environment. A single day of maximum-capacity power generation via the three hydroelectric plants effectively prevents more than 90,500 pounds of CO2 emissions from going into our atmosphere.
TMWA proudly partners with a fellow eco-leader, the Truckee River Fund, to invest in restoration and rehabilitation projects all along the Truckee and source waters to keep our waterways clean.
Organizations such as these lead the way in recycling, green gardening and agriculture, sustainability, clean energy, locally grown and distributed organic produce, waste reduction, and an unshakeable promise to treat our high-desert land better and better each year.
Kyle Young is a freelance writer born and raised in Sparks. He writes articles about food, events, and the oddities native to Nevada. He’s a proud eco-naut.
RESOURCES
Full Circle Soils & Compost
Fullcirclecompost.com
Truckee Meadows Water Authority
For details about water conservation, conservation advocacy, environmental education, eco-conscious landscaping, clean energy, and more, visit Tmwa.com.
SIDEBAR 2
Earth Day Update
Organizers of our Reno Earth Day celebration have announced that this year, an event will not take place. Instead, the organizers are using the break to prepare for an even more impressive Reno Earth Day in 2020. However, there will be Earth Day festivities in South Lake Tahoe and at the Village at Squaw. For details, visit Southtahoeearthday.org and Tahoetruckeeearthday.com/earth-day-festival.
