It’s early Sunday morning and I’ll post this in the office once I get in. It’s been ages since I’ve sat quietly to write a “happening update” … and given the to-do list ahead, it’s now or never (at least for today).

Last week was a whirlwind --- the Canadian Fertilizer Products Forum in Ottawa, the Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo in Toronto, the Biosolids Workshop in Quebec and the quarterly meeting of our National Board, held at the Region of Peel’s new composting facility (and integrated waste management site). A number of items also needed to be finalized and sent to the printers to have ready and released before the end of the year.

It’s very fortunate that we have such a great team. Danielle, Maité, Tyrone, Shannon, Bouchra, Michaela and Dana --- they plus folks who have worked in our office in the past -- they have and are pouring their hearts & souls into the work that we do …. it’s their commitment and that of our members who make what we do possible.

Perhaps given all the political words that are starting to head in the direction of sustainable development, this will also translate into better support for on-the-ground efforts. And hopefully, the groups who have worked the trenches for ever-so-long will be the ones who the political folks will turn to versus throwing money into agencies and groups whose commitment to the environment comes about when the dollars start to flow.

The Council has been beyond fortunate to receive support from many organizations at one time or another to help move our programs forward. Often, it was an investment that involved belief in an underfunded Council who knew the direction and the tasks but didn’t have all the means to pave the road.

From that investment, we developed and implemented many programs and initiatives that will stand our efforts in good stead as the momentum builds in the years ahead. Compost Week, Plant a Row – Grow a Row program (now in it’s 6th year as a national and community initiative), the Compost Quality Alliance as well as our compost markets outreach efforts, our national conference and regional workshops, composting facility operator training … and the list goes on.

Great returns on investment … and a stronger momentum for composting because of the support and the belief in our efforts that was received.

Last Thursday, we were advised that Alberta will be helping us to move the compostable plastics bags certification review process forward, having joined with Prince Edward Island/Island Waste Management Corporation/ADI (PEI) Inc., New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Recyc-Québec and the Ville de Montréal, to make this process possible.

This parallels the kind of inter-governmental cooperation that helped make the review of the Compost Quality Standard possible as well as a reality.

Everything that has happened to develop composting to-date has been because of the incredible personal support from people in federal and provincial departments, municipal visionaries who have looked into the garbage bags of their communities and seen the potential that organics recovery could offer, individuals and companies who have decided to go beyond what had to be done because of regulatory rule books and taken the risk to create jobs and organizations dedicated to organics recovery and the folks in the academic community who have used their talents and search for answers to help pave our path’s potential.

We have also had the commitment and vision of some politicians, particularly provincially and municipally, to enable composting to move forward. In the early days, this commitment and vision often cost them an election … but they used their power to move good forward. And now care for the environment is becoming mainstream.

We have all been working to have “the silent majority” --- that is, the organics --- be recognized as the key to so many environmental solutions.

Perhaps the ears of ALL the political parties are getting ready to perk up and hear our message.