Join Scott Smith for a discussion on how you can start composting on your own or pitch in on a heap with your neighbors or community garden. Scott Smith is a longtime Connecticut resident, avid gardener and author of “On Compost: A Year in the Life of a Suburban Garden” (Christmas Lake Press, 2024). “On Compost” chronicles the cultivation of a suburban yard as a way to highlight the larger story of how to live more sustainably and with ecological purpose—and lots of freshly made living soil. The book illustrates how composting can reduce food and yard waste, enrich soil, boost biodiversity and combat climate change. More than just a guide to composting, 'On Compost' shows how a simple backyard compost heap can bring neighbors together, foster a sense of community, and create shared experiences.

In keeping with the Seaside Center’s mission to protect and value the ecological riches of the Long Island Sound, Smith will also discuss the time-honored use of a local resource—nutrient-rich seaweed, sustainably harvested from a nearby beach. A soil conditioner prized by generations of farmers and gardeners alike, seaweed contains trace elements, micro-nutrients and plant growth compounds you’ll never find in any chemical fertilizer—or even in most organic ones.

This program is free of charge. No beach pass is required if you are attending the Fred Elser First Sunday Science. Please let them know at the gate you are attending the Bruce Museum Seaside Center lecture. First Sunday Science programs take place at the Floren Family Environmental Center at Innis Arden Cottage, Greenwich Point Park, Old Greenwich, CT.