(WASHINGTON, DC) – On Friday, November 3, at 11 am, Mayor Muriel Bowser will kick off the 2017-2018 leaf collection season at Elsie Whitlow (EW) Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School. The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) will collect and compost nearly 8,000 tons of leaves throughout the District, which is a free service for all DC residents. To help prepare for leaf collections, residents are asked to rake their leaves and place them by the curb or tree box on the Sunday before their scheduled collection week. DPW will collect leaves in residential neighborhoods at least twice between Monday, November 6, 2017 –  January 12, 2018. Residents can find the leaf collection schedule for each ward at leaf.dcgis.dc.gov. 

During the kick off, Mayor Bowser will highlight the composting of pumpkins through the Food Waste Drop-Off program, a sustainable initiative for food waste to be turned into a nutrient rich soil fertilizer. Through this free service, residents can take their pumpkins to designated farmers markets, one in each ward, on Saturday, November 4, at 9 am – 1 pm. To find the drop-off locations, residents can visit dpw.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff. 

These composting efforts are part of the Bowser Administration’s goal to become the most sustainable city in the country. Since 2015, Mayor Bowser’s bold agenda to move the city towards zero waste has saved residents money, created more local jobs, and helped maintain Washington, DC as one of the most greenest, healthiest, and livable city by year 2032.

WHEN:
Friday, November 3, at 11 am

WHO:
Mayor Muriel Bowser 
Christopher Shorter, Director, DPW
Erika Bryant, Executive Director, EW Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School

WHERE:
EW Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School 
3700 Oakview Terrace, NE
*Closest Metro: Brookland Metro Station*        

Press interested in attending the event are asked to RSVP to [email protected]. To view the event online, visit mayor.dc.gov/live or tune in on Channel 16.