press release
As part of Cedar Grove’s commitment to composting Seattle’s yard waste for almost 20 years, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Cedar Grove have partnered to thank City of Seattle residents for diverting over 125,000 tons of food and yard waste from landfills by composting in 2011.

Today, Cedar Grove and SPU are kicking off the Big Dig. From March 26 – April 11, participants will be tasked to find Corey the Compostable Apple Core posted at 30 different retail and community sites in Seattle (some of which are in your neighborhood!).

Clues to Corey’s location will be posted daily on Cedar Grove’s website, www.cedar-grove.com. Every participant that finds one or more Coreys will win a coupon redeemable for a free bag of Cedar Grove Compost. Additionally, all participants will be entered into a daily drawing to win a pass to participate in The Big Dig finals on Saturday, April 14 at Seattle Tilth’s Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands. Finalists will dig through 30 yards of compost to find $6,000 in hidden treasures, including a $3,000 yard makeover!

In your neighborhood there are 3 Coreys hidden. Here are their corresponding clues:

•This international hardware store used to be three different entrepreneurial businesses until it merged into one. Find one of these stores in a neighborhood where Eddie Vedder used to live.

•This location is the fifth of six to be opened by this family-run business (their Renton location carries over 75,000 different items!).

•This business in White Center depends on angiosperm species, coniferous species, and its employees who are overseen by a multigenerational family management team.

More information from Seattle Public Utilities
“Big Dig” Thanks Seattleites for Composting 125,000 Tons of Food and Yard Waste

City / Cedar Grove gave residents 30,000 free bags of compost in two years

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Cedar Grove announced (March 26) “The Big Dig,” a campaign to thank Seattle residents for diverting 125,000 tons of food and yard waste from the landfill by composting in 2011.

During The Big Dig, March 26 – April 14, participants will take part in a scavenger hunt to find “Corey – the Compostable Apple Cores” in different locations in Seattle. Clues to Corey’s location will be posted daily on Cedar Grove Compost’s website, www.cedar-grove.com. Every participant that finds a Corey will win a redeemable coupon for a free bag of Cedar Grove Compost.

Additionally, all participants will be entered into a daily drawing to win a pass to participate in The Big Dig Finals on Saturday, April 14 at Seattle Tilth’s Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands. Big Dig Finalists will compete against each other to find 20 hidden treasures buried under a mountain of compost. The grand prize is a yard makeover worth $3,000.

From 12 a.m. March 26 until 12 p.m. April 11, when one of the Corey’s are spotted, participants can enter the contest by one of three ways:
•By submitting the Corey code and participant contact info to Cedar Grove’s website form

•By emailing the photo of Corey, the Corey code and participant contact information to bigdig@cgcompost.com

•By emailing the street location and Corey code, along with the participant’s email to bigdig@cgcompost.com

Big Dig contestants increase their chances of having their name drawn with each Corey they find. No purchase is necessary.

In the past two years SPU and Cedar Grove have given away 30,000 bags of free compost to thank residents for their help in making Seattle a leader in yard and food waste collection.

“Seattle residents have done an amazing job,” said Tim Croll, SPU Solid Waste Director. “From 2001 to 2011, the city increased its overall organics diversion from 52,000 tons to more than 125,000 tons a year. That’s an exciting jump.”

More than 140,000 single-family households and businesses are participating in Seattle’s food and yard waste collection program. In 2011, Seattle required all multi-family properties to provide food and yard collection service to their tenants.

“Cedar Grove is excited to partner with Seattle Public Utilities in this important effort,” said Susan Thoman with Cedar Grove. “Compost helps minimize water usage and adds beneficial microbes, nutrients and structure to the soil to create more sustainable and healthy gardens. It also helps prevent erosion and protects Seattle's rivers, lakes and watersheds from pollutants.”

The Big Dig is part of Compost Days, a celebration of Seattle’s food and yard waste composting by offering the biggest discounts of the year on compost and kitchen scrap composting products.

Check www.cedar-grove.com or call 1-877-764-5748 for more information.

As an industry-leading environmental solutions company, Cedar Grove harnesses the vitality of organic waste by recycling it into innovative products. In doing so, we energize cities, businesses and citizens to be a force for good by coming full circle with their organic waste.

Learn more about Seattle Public Utilities at: www.seattle.gov/util.

Follow SPU on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SeattleSPU.

In addition to providing a reliable water supply to more than 1.3 million customers in the Seattle metropolitan area, SPU provides essential sewer, drainage, solid waste and engineering services that safeguard public health, maintain the City’s infrastructure and protect, conserve and enhance the region's environmental resources.