How POGO Knows Spring has Sprung
Many people celebrate spring on the first day it arrives on the calendar. Some places mark its return with the arrival of March Madness or opening day of baseball season. Some organizations recognize it is spring when the first young employee tries to wear shorts to the office. Here at POGO we know it is spring when we can begin composting again.
For over 15 years the staff has placed their organic materials in a coffee can, which is then regularly emptied into one of my compost bins. POGO composts everything from paper towels to coffee grounds, from Potbelly bags to banana peels (we’re big banana eaters here at POGO). And of course, there’s the occasional apple core:
What do we do with the end product? It gets shared with the POGO folks in the area that have gardens. We’ve even had a Compost Party.
Oh, and when does winter arrive? When it gets too cold for the compost to decompose — usually right before Thanksgiving. That’s a very sad day at POGO. It takes weeks for staffers to stop coming in to me to ask why I’m not composting.
Is it part of our mission? No. But, we tend to be fiscal conservatives and try to use everything we have wisely. We also usually have fun doing it.
– Keith Rutter
Can we get some of the POGO black gold for our new place? We’re going to start a garden as soon as we get moved in!
What is POGO’s favorite vegetable?
You should also add that in an effort to conserve water most of the staff don’t do dishes.
Actually, the question “If you were a vegetable what vegetable would you be.” was recently asked during a job interview. This lead to a conversation by some on the POGO staff and the Red Beet was the only duplicate answer. I think three or four POGOers Beet it. I encourage the staff to post their own answer.
So, is that ‘anonymous’ comment about staff not doing dishes perhaps really by Danni? : )
I’ll claim membership in the beet crew.
What I don’t get it is that Keith will turn the Deer Park bottle around so the label faces the wall, but he’ll throw Potbelly plugs around like it’s his job.
Excellent catch Kevin! Potbelly’s was not in my original draft as I do not advertise for corporations without being compensated, but the editors thought that inserting that reference somehow made it better.