In this post Martha Cattell (Living Lab Research Assistant) caught up with MA student Emily Haworth who received funding for her composting project as part of round 1 of the Friendly Living Fund, to hear how her project is going.
The Friendly Living Fund is a micro-grant fund at York St John University, set up in a partnership between the Living Lab and YSJ Student Union, for student projects tackling the cost of living and contributing to climate resilience. Applications are now open for Round 2, until 9 Feb!
Emily tending to the worms!
Why did you apply for the Friendly Living Fund?
I applied for the Friendly Living Fund because I thought it was a great initiative that could help me pursue something I would not have been able to financially justify otherwise.
Tell us a bit more about your project and why you wanted to make it happen?
My aim was to motivate my neighbours to all commit to a continual composting routine. With this grant, I was able buy a worm composting bin as well as 4 small kitchen bins for myself and my neighbours. This has reduced our food waste significantly, and has created high quality compost and fertiliser for our gardens.
So much of our food waste just ends up in landfill, which is terrible for the environment as it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, 8-10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from food waste (Source: Energy Saving Trust). Composting is a great way to avoid this, and worm composting is even more effective, as the process is quicker and tends to make higher quality compost.
What have you learnt so far from delivering your project?
I have learnt so much about composting, and about keeping my wormery productive and effective. I have also realised the sheer amount of food waste I was producing before, and it feels really satisfying that now all of that waste is going right back into my garden!
How did it address cost of living and climate resilience?
The grant gave me the opportunity to put in place a consistent composting routine for me and my neighbours. This will not only help our local environment, but will also save us money, because we won’t have to buy as much compost and fertiliser when we start gardening again in the spring.
Why do you think the Friendly Living Fund is important?
Statistically, students are unlikely to make ecologically sustainable decisions because of factors such as their financial situations and temporary housing. This fund is important because it gives students the opportunity to make more sustainable decisions, without the financial stress. It allows students to access materials, resources, and tools that might not be achievable or realistic on a student budget. With the support of this grant, students can think about how they can minimise their carbon footprint, encourage more awareness and learning about climate change, and create more sustainable habits in their everyday lives.
Would you recommend that other students apply for the fund
Absolutely! The application doesn’t take very long, and you could benefit so much. Have a think about how you could make some more sustainable decisions in your life, and then apply for some help to make it happen!
the arrival of the worms
